Some men just want to watch the world burn

[nc-1701]

But do you?


Rationally I want the best for everything, nobody to get hurt, etc. But I also silently cheer for disaster a depressingly often. I was just reading an article about how ISIS is faltering and their blitzkrieg is basically over... And I must cofess that one of the first things on my mind was that now I won't be able to make a "party like it's 1258" joke when they take Baghdad So then I started wondering if that made me a bad person...Which is not what this thread is about

So how often do you wish for disasters to strike? Do you think terrorist attack, plagues, tornadoes, and wars are sort of cool to see from a distance?

Oh and do you ever use the verb "collumbining" in day to day conversation?


Disclaimer:
I've never wished ill upon any specific person that I know, I'm not hateful... I just like the idea of things burning...

 

[Joecoolyo]

I think this is something that happens to everyone every now and then.

I mean, what is the news other than really long drawn out stories? And who doesn't enjoy reading a story now and then?

Disassociation with the people being affected by the story means you'll ignore the fact that its going on right now, and is probably a lot worse than its being portrayed. But I think that's just being human, its very very hard to wrap your head around people outside of where you live/interact on a daily basis. And because of that, your empathy, even if you mean good and think it, just simply isn't as strong.

And so the news becomes just another exciting story.

 

[Phrossack]

Spoiler :

Hurricane forums are full of excited comments about central pressure and wind speed and comparisons to Camille and 1931 and 1938, with hastily-tacked-on notes about how it will be tragic if anyone dies and they hope it's a dud.

I suppose I sometimes subconsciously wish for disasters or political crises and wars to go horribly wrong because that would be interesting. I know I probably shouldn't, but like Joe said, it's very difficult to empathize with people you've never met unless you really try.

 

[NovaKart]

Sometimes people have momentary thoughts and feelings that pop into their head that are not really what they want if they sat down and thought about it. I don't think it's anything to feel guilty about.

This past summer I was supposed to take part in a training course that was mandatory but all of us employees would have to pay for it. The trainers were coming from England. After ISIS took over Mosul they all ended up not coming and we didn't have to take the course. A lot of us were kind of relieved and also a lot of the Kurdish people were glad because it allowed the Kurdish military to take over security in Kirkuk so people were saying " this is good for us." Actually, some of this does involve a thought process longer than a momentary feeling. Anyway, the whole idea is pretty complicated.

 

[Borachio]

Every cloud has a silver lining, I guess.

And who doesn't like to watch waves crashing over the foreshore?

 

[bhavv]

If I had access to enough nukes to destroy the world, the world and all its people would be ded.

 

[Darkflight]

Careing about everything, bad or good, that goes on in the world would only lead to me getting seriously depressed because the world seriously sucks.

I prefer to spend my time thinking about other things.

 

[bhavv]

Actually no, if I had access to that many nukes, Id find out where Justin Bieber was and fire every last nuke in his direction.

 

[Zack]

Careing about everything, bad or good, that goes on in the world would only lead to me getting seriously depressed because the world seriously sucks.

I prefer to spend my time thinking about other things.

Yeah, but unfortunately the only poll options are psychopath and Mother Teresa.

 

[Lillefix]

Yeah, but unfortunately the only poll options are psychopath and Mother Teresa.

So "Secretly enjoy watching the world burn" equals psycopath?

 

[gay_Aleks]

Every cloud has a silver lining, I guess.

And who doesn't like to watch waves crashing over the foreshore?

I doubt anyone living near the coast ever has the thought "Hey, wouldn't it be great if this wave crashes into my house, demolishing it alongside everything our family accomplished for the last 50 years?"

 

[Lillefix]

I doubt anyone living near the coast ever has the thought "Hey, wouldn't it be great if this wave crashes into my house, demolishing it alongside everything our family accomplished for the last 50 years?"

Everyone else's house on the other hand...

 

[Borachio]

I doubt anyone living near the coast ever has the thought "Hey, wouldn't it be great if this wave crashes into my house, demolishing it alongside everything our family accomplished for the last 50 years?"

I agree with you.

But there's something fascinating about watching the power of nature. Even dogs like it when the wind blows a bit.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

Monotony is a powerful thing. I used to operate a nuclear reactor on a submarine, and would often catch myself thinking how cool it would be if something really bad happened.

 

[Zack]

So "Secretly enjoy watching the world burn" equals psycopath?

I was clearly exaggerating. That said, I still find it strange and disturbing. I would understand apathy, but enjoyment puzzles me.

 

[Borachio]

Monotony is a powerful thing. I used to operate a nuclear reactor on a submarine, and would often catch myself thinking how cool it would be if something really bad happened.

I feel your pain!

I've been so bored sometimes I thought my brain might start oozing out of my ears. Then I got even more bored and really wished it would.

 

[Kyriakos]

If a group of people is downed by some harm (even just psychological, but severe) it is common enough for them to at least be interested in others in the group or outside of it get hit more, or die, so that they (at least in one example) can sense still a distance between their own plight and someone who is to die soon.

I think that the natural situation for adult human beings is to not wish/look forward to death/destruction.
But it is not like the environment by now is that 'natural' to begin with.

Anyway, the ability to harm is a parameter too. I suppose it is more clear with self-harm: many suicidal people would kill themselves if they had an easy way to do so, but do not since it would be difficult and possibly fail as well.

 

[bhavv]

I was clearly exaggerating. That said, I still find it strange and disturbing. I would understand apathy, but enjoyment puzzles me.

I would absolutely love to destroy the world. But then the world produced one single human that is by far worse than every other human including dead humans like Hitler:

So unfortunately for me, I would now be willing to save the world if you offer me that abomination as a human sacrifice.

 

[Zack]

That's disturbing for a whole number of reasons.