Why is killing so fascinating?

[ThePilgrim101]

I imagine you'll also be playing as Ghandi?

Arabia.  :P

It's okay.

I'll play Killing Floor to balance your peace-gaming out.

[Plu]

A fight to the death is the ultimate competition, and we're a very competetive species. I guess that's about it.

I guess that's where it comes from. I love violent games, even though I'm totally non-violent in reality. Because violent games are often very good at competition due to the direct versus component in them and the idea that your opponent will struggle all the way and pull out all the stops.

A shooter feels more final in establishing your victory over your opponent because your mind gives you that "he did everything he could and died a loser", which is a component that a friendly game of football doesn't have. Tricking the brain, maybe?

(That said, I'm very sportsmanlike in gaming and people who aren't really annoy me. It is just a game.)

Just some basic things that might explain it.

[WitchSabrina]

I have long given up the urge to kill anything. Couple that with a fair understanding and awareness of current world culture I find it unsettling that people find shows or movies about killing so fascinating. My wife is drawn to this new show "the followers" which is, from what I see, nothing but the adventures of people willing and eager to kill other people. Why is this?
   She gets annoyed sometimes, though she never admits it, because I like to laugh and watch shows that make me laugh. I have seen enough hate and ignorance daily, why would I want to fill this shit in my head before I sleep? What is this?
   I understand that money is why some make this shit, but what is the fascination with watching it?  What, why do people find people murdering other people so goddamn interesting?
   And what more, how can one not be interested in laughing instead? Even more problematic, why would someone not want to laugh instead of watching murder?
   I am truly saddened, disappointed, disillusioned.

I tried to watch "The Followers" when it first premiered because I adore the actor James Pulfoy.  But I didn't make it half way through.  Like you I prefer comedies - anything that will give me a laugh.  Heck, I've listened to Mike and Molly because the writers are hysterical.  I'll watch dramas if they're of the human interest sort, but not just human drama for the sake of human drama.
Why are people fascinated by killing?  I have never understood it.  If there's death in a movie I'm watching or a suspense thriller I'll watch - but there's usually some Reason/Cause/Passion behind a death.  Senseless killing and slasher movies or shows are not for me.  Can't/won't watch - I find it all gruesome.

I dunno - life's hard enough without taking what down time we get to spend it gripping the edge of the couch in tension for blood splattering across the screen - to me.

Oddly enough - I do love the TV series Spartacus - and that's pretty gory.  But I think it's the half naked, ripped men that I'm watching more than blood scenes.

[Hydra009]

Meh, I run the gamut - I watch everything from Warhammer 40k to Star Trek levels of violence.  Doesn't bother me or thrill me, it's simply a part of the narrative - the threat the protagonists face is usually the physical sort.

[Jason78]

What, why do people find people murdering other people so goddamn interesting?

People find human interactions of all types fascinating.  As a species, we seem to love looking at ourselves.

[aitm]

What bothers me the most, particularly about this show, from the brief snippets I see, is this isn't a fight scene or battle or gripping drama, its probably like "chainsaw: or whatever those movies were, caused I never watched those either, but having someone tied to a post or bed and then just killing them. IT is not the act of killing people, what I find wierd is that people are interested in watching a show about it. Meh. I'll just watch four hours of Big Bang or How I met you mother or even Two and a half monkeys......

[WitchSabrina]

What bothers me the most, particularly about this show, from the brief snippets I see, is this isn't a fight scene or battle or gripping drama, its probably like "chainsaw: or whatever those movies were, caused I never watched those either, but having someone tied to a post or bed and then just killing them. IT is not the act of killing people, what I find wierd is that people are interested in watching a show about it. Meh. I'll just watch four hours of Big Bang or How I met you mother or even Two and a half monkeys......

and maybe hide all the rope and knives in your house............ :shock:

[BarkAtTheMoon]

I have long given up the urge to kill anything. Couple that with a fair understanding and awareness of current world culture I find it unsettling that people find shows or movies about killing so fascinating. My wife is drawn to this new show "the followers" which is, from what I see, nothing but the adventures of people willing and eager to kill other people. Why is this?
   She gets annoyed sometimes, though she never admits it, because I like to laugh and watch shows that make me laugh. I have seen enough hate and ignorance daily, why would I want to fill this shit in my head before I sleep? What is this?
   I understand that money is why some make this shit, but what is the fascination with watching it?  What, why do people find people murdering other people so goddamn interesting?
   And what more, how can one not be interested in laughing instead? Even more problematic, why would someone not want to laugh instead of watching murder?
   I am truly saddened, disappointed, disillusioned.

It has always angered me that here in America, depictions of murder are regularly shown on broadcast television -- but depictions of lovemaking are regarded as "obscene".  That perfectly inverts their relative values, if you ask me.  I consider the violence found on our TVs to be overwhemingly pornographic.

"Remember what the MPAA says; Horrific, Deplorable violence is okay, as long as people don't say any naughty words! That's what this war is all about!" - Sheila Broflovski

[Thumpalumpacus]

'Zactly.

[SGOS]

I was friends with a married couple that were also friends with the local theater owner.  They would get briefed on the current movies from the owner.  They wouldn't let their kids go see anything that had sex in it, but if it was violence, that was fine with them.

I asked why the difference they told me sexual urges are closer to the surface and could more easily influence their kids.  But violent urges are buried deeper and less likely to produce harmful effects.

[FlatEarth1024]

Here's my theory...

Most people entertain, to varying degrees, thoughts of killing.  Not in the clocktower-with-a-rifle sense, but in a more self-righteous "I wish I could rid the world of these animals" way.  However, 99% of people would never take another life unless cornered to the point of no other recourse.  So, the only realistic outlet for our lust for violence/vengeance, what have you, is to watch cinematic depictions of other people getting killed.

When Rambo shoots down the Soviet helicopter, the entire theater yells "YEAH!!!".  When Charles Bronson kills the thugs who murdered his family we cheer.  It's an empowerment that we feel watching one of "us" strike back at one of "them".  When the movie is over, we get to go back to being the people who will never shoot down the helicopter or kill the thugs and be okay with our impotence...our appetite for blood having been temporarily satiated.

[aitm]

Understandable though. But what is so fuckin fascinating with watching and already knowing that an innocent person is going to be killed by a POS? And they WANT to watch it. As a person who has walked in blood soaked shoes, and drug childrens bodies up from the deep, and saved some, I can find no reason nor "ryhme" with the fascination with watching people be killed.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

I've seen and been involved in enough violence in my life I have no desire to watch more of it on TV or movies.. Now if TV showed REAL fucking instead of fake TV fucking I might watch more, but the crap on TV generally interests me about as much as listening to someone with a bowel problem in the next bathroom stall.. :roll:

[OtterPop]

I have long given up the urge to kill anything.

I've got to admit, as an opening line, this is concerning...

[OtterPop]

I've never had such an urge in my 36 years. Not even insects.

Right!?