Feeling bad for the wrong reasons

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I just found out (30 minutes ago) that a building on a school that I went to from ages 11-14 burned down, apparently as a result of arson. I was watching the news, and all of these people, students and former students, were talking about how bad they felt and how it was like their own house burned down. All I could think of was how much I hated the place when I actually had to go, even though I haven't darkened the doorstep since 1997. Back then, nobody knew about Asperger's and everyone assumed that I was cold and unempathetic, especially since that school focuses on emotional intelligence. Consequently, I was miserable 24/7. Is the way I'm feeling right now appropriate?

I don't know why people feel bad over a building burning down. Maybe they have empathy for buildings and feel sorry for it like its a real person.

If anything I would have felt good about such a thing because maybe it would mean time away from school...I wouldn't feel bad.

Perhaps they have good memories associated with the school or something.

I think your response is appropriate.

It sounds like you have quite similar feelings toward your school that I had. I would likely feel the same if I were in your place... well, provided no one got hurt. I don't wish harm on the people, but I must confess, knowing the building burned down would make me chuckle just a little.

I would have felt the same way in your position. (as long as no one got hurt in the fire)

Well it's not the building itself. They went to school there, so they associate the building with their experiences in the school. But hey, if you had a bad experience, then I guess you'd feel relieved from watching that mothafucka burn.

Anyways, I wouldn't care if one of my old schools got burned down. But I wouldn't say it's feeling bad for the wrong reasons. You'd probably had some good memories at that school, so it'll take you a while before you get over it.

I have some attachment to the house were I was born and lived for 11 years (but is was torn down). On the other houses I have attachment.

On the subject of schools... I went to two of my old schools. One time for elections (there was an election station), the other time was out of the blue. I did not care especially about the schools, but some things and people I wanted to see again. But with a lot of the people gone and the buildings changed (especially on the points I liked) I lost interest in the school. Now I could not care if it burned down.

I'm an extremely sentimental person when it comes to the things I care about. I have a special book shelf full of small trinkets I collect from whenever I travel that I keep in a very particular order. In the past, if I found that someone had moved things around or disrupted that order, I would go ballistic. Now, I've learned to let things go, but in the past I've tended to get agitated when people touch my belongings without asking, and I've thrown temper tantrums over people accidentally breaking my stuff. It's not the same as a school burning down, but I can definately understand how someone could feel bad over an inanimate object.

I'd say it's normal enough not to feel sad if you hated the place.

Personally, I'd probably miss my old school if it burned down, not because I had a particularly fun time there, but because ssuch a large chunk of my life was spent there (or so it seems) and I miss the corridors and the library... not the people really, although it's nice to think of the same teachers still walking around... I don't like losing bits of my past basically.