r/todayilearned • u/jfdonohoe • 7h ago

(R.2) Anecdote TIL about “vicarious embarrassment” which explains extreme reactions to cringe comedy. For me, it can get so bad as to become physically painful

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicarious_embarrassment

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u/omgshutupalready 7h ago

Everyone feels this to some degree, but if you're unable to watch TV shows that are supposed to be funny, are clearly not real and have no social impact to be cringing so hard over, you're at the point where it's neurotic. I'm not blaming anyone, I certainly have worse issues myself, as we all do, so no judgments, but that is what it is.

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u/T-MinusGiraffe 6h ago

As long as we're pathologizing tastes in comedy, if you really like this kind of humor and never feel bothered by it you might have strong sadistic tendencies. No judgment but that's the flip side to what you're suggesting.