Why do people watch F'ed up stuff on the Internet?

[Rocketman]

A friend recently directed me to a link (not my choice), and I clicked it thinking it was something generally amusing - we often send each other funny pictures or jokes, and I can trust him (at least I thought I did).

Instead, it was something I refuse to go into detail about. Long story short, it involved cruelty toward an animal.

Granted, I have a very strong stomach, but this is something that even I had a problem with. Animals are just a No No for me. Some moron wants to face-plant himself because he doesn't know how to rollerskate? Fine by me. But I can't deal with animals.

Now, my friend didn't send it to me as a joke, but rather as a general thing to discuss, because in some cases, I do agree that people should know what human beings are capable of in this world. If it's for educational purposes, such as watching a documentary about the Holocaust, or about Vietnam, or even if it pertains to violence in modern society where we as a species are made aware of what our fellow man can do... we should be aware of that. Shouldn't we?

But I ask you... Isn't it going too far now?
Aren't some people now driven to do these heinous things because it'll end up on the Internet? Suddenly, I have to play devil's advocate and say that none of this crap should be on the Internet, never, for any reason. We don't need to see any of it.

And above all, why do people (I'm assuming in their teens) enjoy going to websites and finding this stuff? Why do they want to see it? Shouldn't we as a society be frightened by what is entering a 15 year old's head on a daily basis? When did it suddenly become a form of entertainment?

I think this is a serious issue that doesn't get a lot of attention. But it needs to. I'm by no means a believer of destiny or fate, but something tells me that we weren't meant to see some of the things that are just a few mouse-clicks away.

 

[Thundercrack85]

It's more convenient than going to the colosseum?

 

[CelticPredator]

The internet is a place where you can see your wildest dreams, or most twisted fantasies. Just dont click on it next time..or be aware of what you're looking at.

 

[JAK®]

It wasn't the video of those foxes being skinned alive was it?

 

[Spider-ManHero12]

This may sound dramatic, but director John Carpenter once said "We all have a dark, bloodlust inside all of us. An animalistic side that is hungry for violence." This, while dramatic, sounds about right.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

We should be able to look at whatever we want, whenever we want. From animal cruelty to beheadings. If you don't want to see it, nobody's forcing ya.

 

[Ultra Lantern]

You have control over what you see on the internet.

 

[SuperFerret]

Animal cruelty is a big no-no for me, but I loves me some skateboarding accident videos.

 

[THE MR. TERRIFIC]

People have been cruel since the beginning of time. I don't see it changing anytime soon.

 

[Hotwire]

We watch it because it is there. Also, in some weird subconscious way, because its just a video on the internet, its never quite 100% real to us. There's always that sliver of doubt that someone just made this fake video to mess with people. Plus, entertainment in general has desensetized us to a degree, so we begin to seek out something more extreme. And there is our old friend, the internet, always willing to accommodate.

 

[Suirou]

People watch it just because it's there and we are quite curious creatures.

 

[Bubonic]

I've seen some pretty sick stuff on the net.
I did want to know the extent of human depravity, but I've found that it keeps getting worse and worse the more I look, the point is there is no limits.
I remember the first time I saw something heinous on the internet, at my highschool library when I was 12, pictures of one of Dahmer's victims.
A part of me died that day, and everytime I watch something new another part of me goes.

 

[ReTrO JuNkIe 42]

Animal cruelty is a big no-no for me, but I loves me some skateboarding accident videos.

This for me too, although sometimes the skate boarding accidents are hard to watch, One video I regret watching the fight in a dojo that this guy claimed Jesus taught him, it didn’t turn out like I thought and it messed me up for a few days after

 

[Bubonic]

^Not sure if that guy died, apparently they put him in the dumpster and he was seen later on.

It was a disgusting abuse of power though, that whole dojo had an awful vibe to it.

Worse I've seen is the video of the two russians and the homeless guy.

 

[Duke]

We have control over what we choose to watch, as for animal cruelty, I don't like it all.

 

[Bubonic]

Me either, just a bunch of snivelling cowards that take part in it.
I saw one in Japan, right in a public park these kids had a cat tied to a tree and were flaying it alive, and families were walking by as well as an assortment of folks, and no one did a god damned thing.

 

[scifiwolf]

The cruelty to animal stuff I've never seen, thank God. Unfortunately, I have seen some stuff of people doing some sick self-mutilation. Scarred me something awful.

 

[ReTrO JuNkIe 42]

^Not sure if that guy died, apparently they put him in the dumpster and he was seen later on.

It was a disgusting abuse of power though, that whole dojo had an awful vibe to it.

Worse I've seen is the video of the two russians and the homeless guy.

It was totally disgusting I never knew what happened to him but I thought he died as a result, I was expecting a funny video, did not expect that at all and I wouldnt even want to watch that video you are talking about

 

[Bubonic]

No you wouldn't.

 

[X-Ray]

Life is boring.

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

I think the internet has made us more apathetic and fickle than previous generations.

 

[WildcatNC]

Watching Porn and F'd up stuff is what the internet is for. I DON'T want to see much of it but I enjoy the freedom to do so if I want. I may not agree with some of it either but thats the cost of freedom in some respects.

 

[Mace Bloodstone]

I think the internet has made us more apathetic and fickle than previous generations.

So true.

Finding an old playboy mag in a dumpster was a big deal when I was a kid.

 

[TheIncredibleSk]

2girls1cup. Nothing even compares.

 

[Bubonic]

Don't challenge me.
Just ync if you'd like, it'll save me the trouble.