Pacifist? Check. Docile? Check. Loves Violent Media? Check.

[magx01]

I'm going to make an observation here:

Docile, pacifistic people seem to derive pleasure from violent media, and are prone to violent creative expression to a higher degree than do less docile, more aggressive people. I base this on, well, a sample of two. Myself and a good friend of mine.

....I know, I know. Of course making an encompassing observation based on a smaple of 2 is ridiculous.

Really though, is there an actual, noted correlation between the degree to which someone enjoys violence and their level of displayed aggression?

My friend and I are the prototypical "nice guys." I think I might have low testosterone levels, actually, as I am the opposite of the 'alpha male' type. I don't like direct eye contact with strange males, I am reluctant to fight (well, was, when fights were even an actual possibility in daily life), I am not boastful, I dislike sports, have little body hair, am small, etc. My friend is largely the same.

Yet the two of us are also described as "sick fucks" by those who know us. Lovingly, of course!

We both love extreme metal. He's a bit more open with his preferences, but I am 100% a death metal fanatic, and the more brutal the better. When I say I LOVE death metal, I really mean it.

We are both horror movie fans. We also both like exploitation films. Japanese torture films? No problem!

Violent action movies? Yes, please.

My favourite literary genre? Horror.

I dabble in a bit of creative writing. While I have written some dramatic pieces and such, the thing I most often end up writing is horror.

I don't like watching any sports, save for one: Mixed Martial Arts. Ditto for my friend.

We were at the Summer Slaughter show last summer (this year's is next month, w00t) and while we were enjoying some downtime he pointed out the fact that we're very contradictory in this way. It hadn't dawned on me prior to that, and since he said it to me, it has sort of resonated with me. I've quite often returned to this idea, and now I think I am going to explore it. Before I do, I thought I'd ask on a couple of forums, see if anyone has any insights. The obvious, off the cuff answer has to do with catharsis I suppose, but I am wondering if there's more to it.

My wife also wants to know. As she put it, "you're so nice, why are you into such sick shit?"

Why indeed....

[psychodiva]

I think there is a lot more to it than just liking violence - a lot more complicated than that - but I have to rush off now for an appointment so I'll expand later

[dogpet]

Classic underdog syndrome, gets attention.

[lostsheep]

I thought that people who are into violent art tend to be more prone to violence....waiting on p.diva response.....

[psychodiva]

no they aren't- but I'll have to dig out the textbooks later to say why For now I have to go pick up my son from Sonisphere

[magx01]

psychodiva wrote

no they aren't- but I'll have to dig out the textbooks later to say why For now I have to go pick up my son from Sonisphere

I'll be waiting a response. Much appreciated

[Kamikaze189]

It's hard to name people who don't like violent media. There are those Flanders like people, but they're quite rare. Most of us draw the line somewhere, though. We agree to watch an action flick with a few quick flashes of bloodshed, but won't sit through a horror film with lots of slow dismemberment. And if you'll sit through a film like that, you still won't watch a real, nonfictional film of something similar. Few people will, and "enjoy it" in any sense. Morbid curiosity, maybe.

Art rant follows:

I'm no shrink, but my take is, it's natural to be drawn to violence, especially in art. Because what is art about? First and foremost, intensity. A good film builds up the tension, the stakes, the characters, everything -- the whole point is an escape from your mundane life of coffee, ties, slightly annoying work environment or school or college or wherever you live your life. This applies to romance just as much as horror. None of those thirteen year old girls would have liked Titanic if Leo had said, "I kinda feel like I'm sorta on top of the world." Same goes for that Twilight-the-vampire guy, caring so much he breaks into what's-her-faces house just to watches her sleep. Since I'm a writer, and I tell people that for some reason, they ask what makes good art. It's not really my advice so much as any artist who knows what they're doing, but the answer is: Intensity and authenticity/subversion. You go as deep into emotion, as intense as is possible without being ridiculous, and you keep the emotion authentic. The reason that it's authentic/subversive is you don't tell people what they expect or want to hear. You try to tell them the truth, too. Society's norms tell you how love is supposed to be. You don't imitate them. What is the real experience, and what is your character's real experience? Shakespeare could never have written a play like Romeo and Juliet if all he did was mimic the happy fantasy of what love is supposed to be; he subverted it with a different, more authentic experience. Same for the Greek tragedies, of course.

So I think people are drawn to intensity and authenticity (and implicitly subversion). Maybe violent art fulfills some need for those.

[magx01]

Tx for the repsone, kamikaze. More food for thought...

[psychodiva]

Hi magx01 - I'm afraid i haven't the time to answer you for a while as my sister just had a stroke and I'm back and forth to the hospital and that's why I've been absent for a while

[Kate]

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that!! and I'll not pray for her.

[psychodiva]

thank you- she will be pleased to hear it - she is being discharged as I type- with an outpatient appointment for more MRI scans and a strict regime - but she is ok

[Kate]

Yay! Very good to hear!!

[Irreligious]

Good that your sister is OK, diva. I hope she continues to get excellent treatment and recovers fully.

[Eva]

crikey, diva, i'm sorry! hug her for me, please.
i'll ask the FSM to intercede in her behalf.

[Sternwallow]

Yay from here as well!!