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What do people gain from cruelty? (lemmy.world)

submitted 5 days ago by Mr_Fish@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

28 comments fedilink hide all child comments

My general assumption for the lowest I can expect a person to behave is basically always looking for their own absolute gain, and any attitude towards other people comes secondary to that. So while a person living by this standard wouldn't donate to charity without some other motive, they would have basically the same answer to something like the trolley problem as anyone else.

Am I wrong thinking of this as a "minimum reasonable behavior", or is there something people actually gain from the suffering of other people?

This question was born out of seeing how people are being treated by the US government at the moment, but I'm asking about more than just that. People like abusive partners/family, hostile cops, or just bullies in general.

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[–] Opinionhaver@feddit.uk 3 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I often wonder about this myself too - especially when it comes to people being mean online. It’s absurd to me that just because I said something they disagree with, they think it gives them the green light to viciously attack me personally instead of addressing what I actually said. And often, it’s from people I haven’t even interacted with directly. I just don’t get it. I never feel the urge to be intentionally mean to someone, and I can’t imagine what these people think they’re gaining from it.

[–] ElcaineVolta@kbin.melroy.org 1 points 5 days ago

why would people be mean to you just for your opinion? that doesn't make sense. short of cheering on a livestreamed genocide, I can't imagine that scenario. you wouldn't do anything like that to invite that kind of scrutiny, right?