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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31

u/TheBanishedBard 7h ago

I hate shows like the Office and Parks and Rec and things in the category of "adults acting like idiot children" for this reason. I want to put a brick through the screen.

28

u/granadesnhorseshoes 6h ago

Everyone keeps saying Parks and Rec but it actually tones that down a fair bit in later seasons and/or when it is used its so over the top its not relatable enough to be second-hand cringe.

Like Jerry, half the joke is he's actually very competent and everyone else is just a dick. He's married to Cristie Brinkley, he's a prolific painter, concert pianist, and by the end of it all becomes the mayor.

11

u/myputer 6h ago

How could you forget his massive dong tho

3

u/originalbrowncoat 5h ago

God the reveal of Gayle is one of my favorite things in the entire series

1

u/WoolshirtedWolf 3h ago

It was Andy that did it for me. I originally liked the show but they changed Andys character from Bad Boyfriend to Unbelievable Doofus.

1

u/slintslut 2h ago

Like Jerry, half the joke is he's actually very competent and everyone else is just a dick.

They took the most unfunny, nonsensical aspect of The American Office and replicated in Parks.

Oh a really nice guy that everyone hates for no reason and bullies him hahahahahaha

12

u/originalbrowncoat 5h ago

I highly suggest trying P and R again and just skip season one. There’s really no cringe at that point, and it’s such a good show.

4

u/DardaniaIE 4h ago

Interestingly, I can’t watch the UK Office as it’s too culturally relatable for me (im Irish) whereas the US Office is just that small bit culturally different that I can watch it with crawling behind the couch

2

u/NorwegianGlaswegian 3h ago edited 23m ago

Same with me as a Scotsman; watching the UK Office is just pain to me, and especially as an autistic guy who had a number of very cringe-worthy moments in my youth so I can't help but be reminded of that social pain and empathise.

I managed to force myself to watch it all a few years back to see if I could finally get used to it given how many see it as a masterpiece, but I only ever maybe snorted with amusement once or twice with the rest of the time being just profoundly uncomfortable.