Unamused by Violence

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As far back as I can remember, I've never been amused by violence. It seems that most people love to watch a good fight. Whether it be a "sport" like boxing or Mixed Martial Arts, or a brutal fight in the schoolyard between a couple of classmates, I just cannot, for the life of me, figure out what is so entertaining. To me, it just seems brutal, like more senseless violence (in a world that already has enough of it.) I never understood why people gather around to watch a fistfight. I never understood why they actively cheer the fighters on. Even when a fight isn't occurring, if two people so much as bump into each other and say, "Watch where you're going", you can get bystanders chanting, "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

But the thing is, I've always felt like the only one that doesn't want to watch them. If the above situation were to happen near my locker back in high school, I would just keep walking to class. It's not like I'm opposed morally (although I am a pacifist and would rather they not fight. But if two consenting adults want to fight for sport, fully aware of the consequences, I have no moral dilemma with it.) My boyfriend has a friend that's on a popular MMA TV show right now, but I'm just so bored by this "entertainment" that I can't even watch it with him. Simply put, it doesn't amuse me.

I'm curious, do other Aspies feel this way? It would be very interesting if there was a significant proportion that did. After all, we're the ones that they say "don't empathize", yet NTs have no problem watching someone punch somebody else in the face? What's with that?

I'm self diagnosed, and I actually made a remark yesterday to my boyfriend that I don't think it's funny or entertaining when someone gets hurt while we were watching tosh.0. It's not funny. I don't want to see it.

TV wrestling used to be one of my interests, not so much for the choreography but more for the 'good guy' image. I tried to watch a boxing match once and couldn't focus. Even schoolyard fights that I wasn't in, I'd be 'oooh look a fight' but then I would get an anxiety rush. The only real fight I can stand to watch is a 10 minute long scene in 'They Live'. But for me just navigating the NT world I'm in a steady fight-or-flight state, but I haven't laid hands on someone else in anger since I was about 16

I remember when I was a teenager and I had friends that watched Jackass. All I could think of was, "Why is this so funny? It's just another idiot doing stupid things to get himself hurt." I do feel similarly to many modern internet videos, too. There is a difference between a funny accident (which is in the way it's done. I mean, if somebody slipped on a banana peel, that might be so unexpected yet stereotypical as to be funny... though I'd have to know the person wasn't actually hurt) and just outright pain or violence. Seeking pain or violence, or worse, having it put upon you unexpectedly (as in a school fight) just isn't fun. I'm almost amazed that anyone really can derive entertainment from such things.

Yep, can't watch the "blood sports" such as MMA, pro wrestling or boxing or other violent acts. But for me, another factor was early childhood memories of my father doing that to my family.

I was one of the few kids that never ran to where a fight was occurring back when I was in grade school. It all seemed rather stupid to me and wasn't worth the trouble. The same goes for random street brawls and gang fights. They seem like a major waste of time, even on-screen. That aside, I think the Martial Arts can be rather impressive when used what they were intended for. Like ITF Tae Kwon Do or Aikido, or even sword fighting. Seeing people highly trained and skilled and having such amazing control over their mind, body, and reflexes never ceases to amaze me. I'm also up for watching imaginary fights when it's for the greater good, like when superheroes fight to save the world and such

Haha, I can't even pay attention to a fake or skilled fight. I just lose interest and I stop focusing. Oftentimes when a fight occurs on a TV show or in a movie, I unintentionally zone out and end up having to ask somebody afterwards, "So who won?"

I've always associated this with mediocre people and/or children. I don't think more than a large minority actually enjoy watching fistfights and brawling.

That being said, I do admit to enjoying battle scenes, gunfights in action movies, that sort of thing. I think the appeal there is not the actual violence but the strategy, and the tension you feel for the characters. Except explosions, explosions are fun in their own right. I play wargames too but that's just a chess-like thing.

Actual warfare or armed conflict is barbaric - but some people seem unable to distinguish fantasy and reality.

I have always enjoyed fights. I liked watching other kids get yelled at or get punished or fight. But yet I hated when it happened to me but just as long as it was someone else, I didn't care even though I would feel sorry for them and be glad it wasn't me. Now I can't stand to see real drama because it makes me uncomfortable.

I am the same way about interne drama, love to watch it and it gives me joy and entertainment until I get tired of it and sometimes it pisses me off because of what goes on in it.

On TV it's all different. It's not real. I have always enjoyed fights on TV too even though I would feel sorry for the home that is being destroyed.

I don't watch boxing or wrestling or MMA or anything related to fighting...but I understand violence, or should I say, man's propensity for it. It's a survival mechanism and its an innate behaviour as old as dirt.

I also have a very low tolerance for violence. I never understood why people have to watch violent sports on TV and I also understood why people would actually want to watch a fist fight. I never watched fist fights in the hall or in the playground.

I'm not actually put off things by physical violence, but when it happens I have no desire to go and watch or immerse myself in screaming people shouting at them to fight.

Had my share of violence in the navy. Of course I was the guy who got hit. Now I'm on a commune, violence is prohibited or out the door. No violence world, decent deal. Violent movies don't do much for me.

Many people find watching violence is a stress reliever for them.
Some enjoy the fantasy of thinking "what if that was me". Many relate the bad guy to someone they don't like in real life, and imagine the idea of shooting them or punching them, momentarily makes them feel better, but without having the real-life consequences.

You also mentioned the pranks and stunts in Jackass. Many would say that it's a show for people who don't like to think. Same as all those reality TV shows, if you ask me.
Some of the popularity of something like Jackass is that if you watch it in a movie theatre / cinema then you'll hear hundreds of people around all cringe and say "euuuuwww" and "oooooh" at the same time as yourself thinking the same thing. That make you feel part of the larger audience, part of a herd, part of a crowd, which is a Neurotypical "feelgood" thing.

Aggression is an instinctive human urge but because we live in more civilised societies these days it has to be legally kept under control (not very well in many cases though!) so films depicting aggressive and violent acts are cathartic for many people - they let them indulge in their aggressive feelings in a safe way. I have watched boxing matches and felt like I wanted to be there having a go myself - the instinct is there to a greater or lesser degree in most people and a lot of life is conducted on a semi-aggressive basis from my point of view so it's a natural drive in most people. Depending on how much of this drive you have yourself you will either find it horriffic or normal. I find it very disturbing but can't deny it's in me too!

I get nothing out of fight scenes/people gratuitously hurting others in films myself - it's boring to me as I don't relate to it intellectually and I don't find it funny to see people hurt of in distress as a lot of people seem to do. If it's a relevant part of the plot it's ok in small doses but a whole film of it is just tedious. It's not intellectually stimulating. I see it as the host culture having a strong blood lust that you just hope you'll never be on the receiving end of!

Very enlightening. I had no idea it would be felt as a stress reliever. I've tried to ask my boyfriend why it's so entertaining, and he couldn't explain it to me. He even agrees when I call it barbaric, without being able to rationalize what makes it worth watching. Very interesting.



Also fascinating! I don't feel any of that urge, though. Then again, I had a lot of trouble controlling my temper as a kid (normal story. When you're constantly misunderstood and getting in trouble for it, of course you're going to be angry!) Though you make it sound as though there's always some aggression underneath. If people are ready to watch a fight at any time (which it how it seems. I've never heard someone go, "Nah, I'm tired, I'll just watch one later"), it would seem there always has to be an urge to let the aggression out, making the fight an outlet to be opened at any time. I don't have any constant underlying aggression. I can scream into a pillow when I'm mad, but I wouldn't be able to do that right now, for example.

It also might be worth noting that I don't have much competitive spirit. If I don't think I'm likely to win, I don't usually try at all. I'm no fun for casinos, as I tend to cut my losses and save my money for something that I can buy, assuring I'll get a return.