Why do we always enjoy......

[Gopher]

witnessing the indignity of others?

[purelife]

Could you define "indignity?"

[Gopher]

Well, like when something makes them go red in the face with embarrassment.

[Lil Me]

emotional cleansing.  catharsis.  part of the human condition.  

[pitbullca.bc]

the need to feel supreme?

[Gopher]

I wondered about its being our way of expressing relief that the same thing's not happened to us.

[Lil Me]

and makes us feel ok about our own experiences.  We're not alone in amking mistakes.  

[Russ]

I agree with Lil Me's answer. Its because we can laugh at someone else's expense and feel better inside that its not happening to you.. and probably because you can relate as to whats happening and you KNOW what that person is feeling and can see thier expressions..

  I think.

[Lise]

 I don't know. I just can't help it. Like a man getting his nuts whacked by a baseball... isn't that funny?[/DIV]

[49er]

[A href="vny!://video.tinypic.com/player.php?v=44kdp1y"]canadian idol[/A]

[Lise]

LOL. That's so funny. I can't believe she did that.

[purelife]

I don't enjoy seeing some hurt or upset.  I wouldn't laugh if someone hurt him/herself.  I never understand why some videos on America's Funniest Home Videos where people get hurt (accidently) is so funny.  I don't find any of that stuff funny.

But, if people didn't enjoy watching the indignity of others, then, America's Home Videos show wouldn't be doing so well.  
 

[Lise]

True, enough purelife.... but I still can't help it when I see something silly happen on AFV.

[Sportsdude]

I only laugh if the person is laughing as well.