If most of us are good people why do we enjoy horror, sadistic torture movies?

[OuchThatHurts]

It's really weird when people do that. It's trying too hard to convey a positive image and usually convincing themselves it's the truth when most often it's not. Regarding this thread many of us probably write things we wouldn't usually say out loud. The OP was a good one and basically asked can we be good people and enjoy these horrible and sadistic movies. That's why I started my post with I am a good person because I like most on here are not fucked up but we still enjoy these movies. Well everyone is fucked up in many ways but I just mean the obvious. I hate violence towards innocent people or animals. Now the term "innocent" isn't as black/white as it may first seem due to various factors such as mental illness. Although some people really do need to just be put down because they are not right (child rapists/murderers etc).

OTH has made some great posts and I completely agree. We all have different opinions in life regarding violence, torture, death penalty, eating meat, justice and various other things. However, some may think people who enjoy sadistic movies could be that way in real life or perhaps fantasize about such things and that couldn't be further from the truth. Some have made very thoughtful and insightful posts about experiencing such things in real life but there are other reasons as well. I started watching horror movies when I was a child and have always enjoyed them. I don't particularly go for gruesome movies but just the horror genre in general. But sure gruesome and sadistic horror can be impactful and gripping and it's one of the reasons many enjoy seeing such things on screen.

Very true. You might find this interesting. MRI has shown that psychopaths when shown a series of images ranging from happy family images and peaceful vistas, etc showed clear increases in those parts of the brain associated with disgust while images of torture and brutality showed clear increases in activity in those parts of the brain associated with pleasure and even sexual arousal.

Compared to healthy individuals who experience the exact opposite.

It's so clear conclusive that it's actually used during interviews of suspects where they are shown images of the victims. While the suspect is looking at the victims' photographs, the interviewer keenly observes their behavior and facial expressions. If the are indifferent or even smirk or something other than being shocked or horrified there is a much higher probability you've found your criminal. If they instantaneously vomit, you can probably be confident in being skeptical of the person's guilt.

The only catch is that intelligent criminals with IQ130 or greater often know these things and can be very good actors. But a polygraph or MRI will usually tell the story. Because that is something that cannot be faked. It's not iron clad and you can't send someone to death on this alone but it definitely warrants additional investigation and/or staking out the person's activities. But again...the most intelligent criminal will also sniff that out.

It's pretty scary truly.

 

[Muay Thai]

“No tree, it is said, can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down to hell.” Dr Carl Jung

The amygdala in psychopaths is often smaller
their cortexes in several regions

Psychopathy is associated with a distinct pattern of cortical thinning and reduced functional connectivity.

 

[OuchThatHurts]

“No tree, it is said, can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down to hell.” Dr Carl Jung

The amygdala in psychopaths is often smaller
their cortexes in several regions

Psychopathy is associated with a distinct pattern of cortical thinning and reduced functional connectivity.

Correct. With increased activity in and around the medulla oblongata. Where hate, fury, and brutality originate.

 

[Elvia1023]

Very true. You might find this interesting. MRI has shown that psychopaths when shown a series of images ranging from happy family images and peaceful vistas, etc showed clear increases in those parts of the brain associated with disgust while images of torture and brutality showed clear increases in activity in those parts of the brain associated with pleasure and even sexual arousal.

Compared to healthy individuals who experience the exact opposite.

It's so clear conclusive that it's actually used during interviews of suspects where they are shown images of the victims. While the suspect is looking at the victims' photographs, the interviewer keenly observes their behavior and facial expressions. If the are indifferent or even smirk or something other than being shocked or horrified there is a much higher probability you've found your criminal. If they instantaneously vomit, you can probably be confident in being skeptical of the person's guilt.

The only catch is that intelligent criminals with IQ130 or greater often know these things and can be very good actors. But a polygraph or MRI will usually tell the story. Because that is something that cannot be faked. It's not iron clad and you can't send someone to death on this alone but it definitely warrants additional investigation and/or staking out the person's activities. But again...the most intelligent criminal will also sniff that out.

It's pretty scary truly.

I really enjoy watching documentaries on psychopaths and serial killers. There are quite a few decent ones on netflix were they interview various serial killers and ask them why they committed their crimes. Even as a kid I enjoyed watching Hercule Poirot (recently watched the new one at the cinema) and documentaries on famous serial killers such as Jack the Ripper. I have read about those studies before and it's shows how some people are "wired wrong". I am sure many have such urges but they realize it's wrong so they fight against it their entire lives but others act on their compulsion and perform horrible acts. I recall those studies being mentioned in "Mindhunter" but I could be getting mixed up. Have you seen the series Mindhunter? I really enjoyed it as there aren't too many decent series on serial killers. I am just about to put the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre on to see what the OP is on about It's only on for 1 hour 23 mins so just enough time to let me food digest then it's off to train legs.

 

[OuchThatHurts]

I really enjoy watching documentaries on psychopaths and serial killers. There are quite a few decent ones on netflix were they interview various serial killers and ask them why they committed their crimes. Even as a kid I enjoyed watching Hercule Poirot (recently watched the new one at the cinema) and documentaries on famous serial killers such as Jack the Ripper. I have read about those studies before and it's shows how some people are "wired wrong". I am sure many have such urges but they realize it's wrong so they fight against it their entire lives but others act on their compulsion and perform horrible acts. I recall those studies being mentioned in "Mindhunter" but I could be getting mixed up. Have you seen the series Mindhunter? I really enjoyed it as there aren't too many decent series on serial killers. I am just about to put the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre on to see what the OP is on about It's only on for 1 hour 23 mins so just enough time to let me food digest then it's off to train legs.

I have Hulu, Prime, and Disney+ but I didn't spring for Netflix. I've never seen a single episode of Game Of Thrones, The Walking Dead, or The Handmaid's Tale. I never know what people are talking about. I really don't get as much time as I'd like to watch more entertainment TV or educational documentaries. I do like them though. Most of what I know is from years of CE and medical publications. Psychology Today has some good articles occasionally but much of it is pretty surface level and elementary with a good supply of fluff to make it appealing enough for web and magazine subscriptions.

Oh, and yes. Many do fight against the urges but the truth is that we all have passing urges and ideations. Sometimes people will even vocalize the ideation. Person A says, "Damn, I'd like to kill that guy." Then Person B says, "No kidding. I've been thinking the same thing." They're not really going to hurt anyone. They may even have a laugh about it. Then they continue on as if they didn't just muse about murdering another human being. Fortunately, evolutionary biology steps in here and even packs of dogs will fight for dominance but they don't go so far as to kill each other. We are tribal and pack hunters as well. It's now wired into us that we do need each to survive.

People will often say, "He's an alpha." But what status would the alpha have if there were no betas? A true alpha will go out of his or her way to aid and even fight and violently defend and protect the betas because the alpha knows that for his group's success within the larger tribe (humanity) depends on healthy and loyal betas. An alpha that goes around seeking to fight and assert his or her dominance for the sake of proving it will find themselves in a tribe of one. And by doing so, they prove that it's really insecurity they feel that compels them to prove again and again that they're strong. Or right. Or that they aren't afraid. It's funny in a way. I don't know if it's a widespread colloquialism as here where I live it's often referred to as "Little Man Syndrome". It's a very insulting expression in it's own right. But the very idea of alphas and betas is rather antiquated and all but disregarded in modern circles of thought.

Anyhow, this mechanism I described above is sometimes faulty. When damaged either though injury, physical or emotional trauma, defects, etc, occasionally these individuals no longer censor these ideations and bring them forward into fruition. This is extremely dangerous. Lethal. To themselves and everyone around them.

Enjoy your movie. I like that picture. Has a truly epic finale too.

 

[USMuscle9403]

I have Hulu, Prime, and Disney+ but I didn't spring for Netflix. I've never seen a single episode of Game Of Thrones, The Walking Dead, or The Handmaid's Tale. I never know what people are talking about. I really don't get as much time as I'd like to watch more entertainment TV or educational documentaries. I do like them though. Most of what I know is from years of CE and medical publications. Psychology Today has some good articles occasionally but much of it is pretty surface level and elementary with a good supply of fluff to make it appealing enough for web and magazine subscriptions.

Oh, and yes. Many do fight against the urges but the truth is that we all have passing urges and ideations. Sometimes people will even vocalize the ideation. Person A says, "Damn, I'd like to kill that guy." Then Person B says, "No kidding. I've been thinking the same thing." They're not really going to hurt anyone. They may even have a laugh about it. Then they continue on as if they didn't just muse about murdering another human being. Fortunately, evolutionary biology steps in here and even packs of dogs will fight for dominance but they don't go so far as to kill each other. We are tribal and pack hunters as well. It's now wired into us that we do need each to survive.

People will often say, "He's an alpha." But what status would the alpha have if there were no betas? A true alpha will go out of his or her way to aid and even fight and violently defend and protect the betas because the alpha knows that for his group's success within the larger tribe (humanity) depends on healthy and loyal betas. An alpha that goes around seeking to fight and assert his or her dominance for the sake of proving it will find themselves in a tribe of one. And by doing so, they prove that it's really insecurity they feel that compels them to prove again and again that they're strong. Or right. Or that they aren't afraid. It's funny in a way. I don't know if it's a widespread colloquialism as here where I live it's often referred to as "Little Man Syndrome". It's a very insulting expression in it's own right. But the very idea of alphas and betas is rather antiquated and all but disregarded in modern circles of thought.

Anyhow, this mechanism I described above is sometimes faulty. When damaged either though injury, physical or emotional trauma, defects, etc, occasionally these individuals no longer censor these ideations and bring them forward into fruition. This is extremely dangerous. Lethal. To themselves and everyone around them.

Enjoy your movie. I like that picture. Has a truly epic finale too.

The hypothesis behind 'alpha males' in mammals has a sordid and often unfounded origin. The idea of an alpha male often conjures the idea of the typical subjects, often wolves. However, population studies among mammals, especially wolves, has revealed that there very well not be a dominant or 'alpha' male, but instead an older male may groom younger ones to assert themselves and become better hunters. The older one doesn't 'alpha', he ensures the safety of the others, male and female, and doesn't bully anyone. It's more like a caring grandfather than a rabidly masculine father in law, to put it in human terms. He passes on the torch rather than being a rabid control freak

 

[OuchThatHurts]

The hypothesis behind 'alpha males' in mammals has a sordid and often unfounded origin. The idea of an alpha male often conjures the idea of the typical subjects, often wolves. However, population studies among mammals, especially wolves, has revealed that there very well not be a dominant or 'alpha' male, but instead an older male may groom younger ones to assert themselves and become better hunters. The older one doesn't 'alpha', he ensures the safety of the others, male and female, and doesn't bully anyone. It's more like a caring grandfather than a rabidly masculine father in law, to put it in human terms. He passes on the torch rather than being a rabid control freak

Correct. Within human society there are many tiers, many individuals, entire confluences of all types and can't be based on just strength or age alone. There are whole spectrums of intelligence, physical strength, caregivers (healthcare for example), technical, police, military, financial status, expertise, in every facet and in every situation, the most adequate, best suited, or those with the most given authority, far removed from any macho grande rule of jungle type bullshit. In the human world, the true law of the jungle is now and has always been not survival of the fittest, but survival of the smartest.

Let's take an example like Gilligan's Island. Who was in authority there? The Skipper was the strongest and policeman, the Professor whose knowledge was essential, Gilligan the goof was entertainment, the millionaire and his wife who had wealth, Ginger with no gag reflex was obviously the sex object, and MaryAnn the all around obedient practical farm girl. So who was the leader? There wasn't one. They all needed each other. Every member shined in one episode or another and thus became the de facto leader at that time.

Hell, the only thing that really upset the works was when a foreigner arrived at the island and temporarily upset the whole balance. And almost without fail, they portrayed as a "bad guy".

In ancient texts we read that Y'shua of Nazereth during his short life, washed the feet of his closest followers. An act of someone of very low status. Was that not a beautiful example of a confident leader? An example for all of us immortalized for all time? Taking care of the people around us.

That's what a truly strong man is. That's what a truly strong woman is. Whether rich or poor, citizen and non citizen, whether smart or stupid, strong or weak, black or white, male or female. Just take care of those around you. That's status.

 

[qbkilla]

I'd say when referring to "alphas" alot of people get it wrong. An alpha is someone who is true to their conviction, and doesn't really care how society views them or aim to please others

If we look at sports, bill bellicheck and Nick Saban are by far the best at what they do and they lead grown football players.

Neither really care what people think about them, look at their press conferences, the way they dress. They do what they want. Look at how Saban Left Miami and bill Left the jets, they weren't concerned how the fans media would view them. Bill cuts players and even let Brady go when he didn't think he was useful to him anymore.

Neither guy tries to be an alpha, if you have to try, you probably aren't one.

 

[fredmac82]

According to the Cambridge Dictionary "Horror movies are a film in which very frightening or unnatural things happen, for example, dead people coming to life and people being murdered." None of which are things I enjoy watching.

 

[Capin]

I made the mistake of going to Bestgore its gone now but wholy phuckk I couldn't stop watching torture, accidents, murders all real. Closest now is Crazyshit.com if you have weak stomach don't go there.
I think what got me hooked is it's unbelievable what brutality people are capable of.
Watch someone get hacked to pieces with a machete or burned alive it's unfrigging believable.

 

[OuchThatHurts]

I made the mistake of going to Bestgore its gone now but wholy phuckk I couldn't stop watching torture, accidents, murders all real. Closest now is Crazyshit.com if you have weak stomach don't go there.
I think what got me hooked is it's unbelievable what brutality people are capable of.
Watch someone get hacked to pieces with a machete or burned alive it's unfrigging believable.

We had one back in high school called The Faces of Death. That was too real for me. Like a snuff film. I've HAD to watch some of those since (psych profiles). Can't understand why a person would watch that if you didn't have to. Some things you can't unsee.

"What you take into your eyes and ears you take into your heart. Nothing from outside a man can make him unclean. But only that which proceeds from the heart of man can bring him to ruin."

 

[TheAnabolicFreak]

We had one back in high school called The Faces of Death. That was too real for me. Like a snuff film. I've HAD to watch some of those since (psych profiles). Can't understand why a person would watch that if you didn't have to. Some things you can't unsee.

"What you take into your eyes and ears you take into your heart. Nothing from outside a man can make him unclean. Buy only that which proceeds from the heart of man can bring him to ruin."

Is that the one where they bring a live monkey to the table and people remove the skull and eat it’s brains while it’s still alive and screaming? Think I saw that as a kid. Also a guy getting executed on the electric chair and his eyeballs burst or popped out.

 

[OuchThatHurts]

Is that the one where they bring a live monkey to the table and people remove the skull and eat it’s brains while it’s still alive and screaming? Think I saw that as a kid. Also a guy getting executed on the electric chair and his eyeballs burst or popped out.

Yes! Those were like the first two! Wow. I forgot about that monkey thing. And it just got worse. I couldn't watch it all.

 

[Gym-Rat]

always enjoyed horror
not at all into torture, that can go away
its just a genre doesnt mean most people/followers are going out to chop people up w/ saws
ive turned movies off that were too bad
but halloween and things like that, epic classics

 

[Bleed]

FWIW, Faces of death is 40% fabrication with the monkey part also being faked. The remaining 60% of it was real footage. This is according to someone who worked on the movie (according to the internet). The kills are bad because some are actual fatalities. I dont remember any being particularly gruesome.

What capin is talking about is something else. Some of it looks like it cant be real but then you realize that the guy in the video is being carved up a little at a time. Each injury by itself left untreated will be fatal but the human body can survive a lot in a short time span. There's another one where they chop some girls arm off with a machete. It all clearly is taking place in south america from what I saw. Im certain most are cartel executions. The others are of shit like guys trying to fell trees incorrectly and the result is the angular momentum of a heavy branch swings around and takes his head (and his hard hat) clean off his body and knocks it about 20 feet or so if memory serves. It does a bit of a roll with (or without if you prefer) comedic effect. To be clear, these arent horror movies. These are executions or suicides by malpractice.

I just woke up to find theyre remaking the thing...again. So just like the last re-remake, it will be an all CGI, uninspired cash grab, trying to pry money out of the hands of people like myself.

I'll generally go see a reboot or a sequel (saw the new ghostbusters, Dune, etc) and some are worth the time and money. But those are movies with budgets. Horror never gets the financing required for production quality so my bet is the new thing is going to be a dumpster fire.

We had one back in high school called The Faces of Death. That was too real for me. Like a snuff film. I've HAD to watch some of those since (psych profiles). Can't understand why a person would watch that if you didn't have to. Some things you can't unsee.

"What you take into your eyes and ears you take into your heart. Nothing from outside a man can make him unclean. Buy only that which proceeds from the heart of man can bring him to ruin."

 

[Capin]

Bestgore.com had a lot of Isis executions unbelievable what they did to people
They captured an Israeli pilot put that dude in a large cage .
Soaked him in gasoline and set him on fire it was horrible to watch
If people only knew what was really going on they would freak out!

 

[Bleed]

Theyre more efficient in south america. No need for a cage. They just use a few tires to hold you in place.

Cruelty doesnt acknowledge borders. Sadly being burned alive is probably not the worst way to go even though it is clearly one of the worst ways to die. If humans put 1/4 of the creative effort they put into torturing and controlling others, we'd all be on a waiting list to join starfleet.

Bestgore.com had a lot of Isis executions unbelievable what they did to people
They captured an Israeli pilot put that dude in a large cage .
Soaked him in gasoline and set him on fire it was horrible to watch
If people only knew what was really going on they would freak out!

 

[junker]

Is that the one where they bring a live monkey to the table and people remove the skull and eat it’s brains while it’s still alive and screaming? Think I saw that as a kid. Also a guy getting executed on the electric chair and his eyeballs burst or popped out.

it was all faked. no real "death" was shown. go to theync if u wanna see real horror shows.

 

[junker]

same thing why we slow down to see whats to see at accident scenes.

 

[OuchThatHurts]

Theyre more efficient in south america. No need for a cage. They just use a few tires to hold you in place.

Cruelty doesnt acknowledge borders. Sadly being burned alive is probably not the worst way to go even though it is clearly one of the worst ways to die. If humans put 1/4 of the creative effort they put into torturing and controlling others, we'd all be on a waiting list to join starfleet.

A-fucking-men! Thank you! Bleed you're one insightful cat.