It's weird that we enjoy stimulating our fear response
What would aliens think if they leaned we evolved fear as a survival mechanism, but we intentionally seek out situations that trigger our fear response, for fun?
Horror movies, extreme sports, thrill-seeking, it's all weird.
Edit
Changed the title and added an extra line to make it clear I'm talking about the fear response, and not specifically about extreme sports
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I wonder what percentage of us don't.
I've never liked horror movies or roller coasters or anything like that.
Yeah, me neither. I've liked some horror genre stories, like Clive Barker's Book(s?) of Blood, Rawhead Rex and all; but I wouldn't say it was because it made me afraid.
If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say a lot of people do, or else slasher flicks wouldn't be so popular. Hell, some years it seems as if that's the only genre of movies released.
But, I also loath the cringe inducing reality shows many people love; and I'm so very tired of every show having to be nonstop angst and tension: GoT was the pinnacle of this, and I absolutely hated it. Books and TV. Boardwalk Empire was so frustrating, because it so well written, acted, and produced, but I just can't stand the unrelieved tension. Obviously, a took of people do, or else there'd be more diversity in media. It's like, the one tool media writers know how to use, anymore.
I say all this because I wonder if there's a correlation: what's the overlap between people who don't like being jump-scared or otherwise frightened and the people who don't like watching people being made uncomfortable (a-la Borat); or constantly bickering (The Kardashians). I love action movies, and a good adventure sci-fi or fantasy, so I'm not adverse to conflict, but I won't watch Breaking Bad because - while I'm aware it was an excellent series - I also know it's going to be a non-stop angst-fest, like The Sopranos.
It'd be an interesting survey. Maybe a list of shows and movies with a simple "enjoy/don't enjoy", and secretly ranked by dominant emotional manipulation. Is it an endearing love story tinged with bittersweet? A slasher? A torture-tension (what's Saw? Not a slasher). See how people are grouped.
Adrenaline plus fear not a fan but fear and wonder I enjoy interestingly
Horror no go Psychological horror tho I’ll watch