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People behave more sadistically when they’re bored

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Re: People behave more sadistically when they’re bored

#2
If this is indeed true, it is yet another piece of evidence in the case for prison reform. Prisoners are universally bored, yet in many cases insufficiently protected from one another. Read accounts of any long-time convict's time in prison and you'll hear about excruciating boredom punctuated by acts of outrageous sadism.

Re: People behave more sadistically when they’re bored

#3
There are a lot of factors that could contribute to sadistic behaviors aside from simply boredom. When people are bored, often they lack purpose and in the modern world a purpose can be difficult to find and follow, especially when depending on someones socioeconomic status it may seem near impossible to accomplish larger goals that they've already dismissed as near impossible (and rightfully so) that may prove to give them value.

Maybe they need a career change. Depending on someones age and commitments, the idea of changing careers can be very difficult. How do you keep paying bills and working in a job you hate, taking care of family, but learn something new that will become fruitful. I can relate to feeling like you want to lash out at people, unfortunately often these can be people that just seem like easier targets.

At least for me my lashing out is more about just being honest with people that normally I'd normally ignore, but have decided that I should just tell them the cold hard truths.

Re: People behave more sadistically when they’re bored

#4
Pleasure is fleeting. It must be or else you'd still be glowing from your first orgasm.

Inevitably the search for pleasure will require variety and inevitably that variety brings you to inflicting pain on others.

We do it publicly. The romans fed people to the lions. We have lots of violent sports. Nascar isn't about driving left. It's about the crashes. Hockey is about the fights and checking. Lets not even evaluate violent videogames.

The real trick is understanding what's happening in your brain and controlling this before it gets to the need to inflict pain.

Re: People behave more sadistically when they’re bored

#8
post #2

If this is indeed true, it is yet another piece of evidence in the case for prison reform. Prisoners are universally bored, yet in many cases insufficiently protected from one another. Read accounts of any long-time convict's time in prison and you'll hear about excruciating boredom punctuated by acts of outrageous sadism.

So put them to work and pay them the going rate [in the normal economy] and use that toward victim restitution?

If you pay them the market rate and this activity improves their well-being compared to being sedentary, I think it’s a win for all involved.

Re: People behave more sadistically when they’re bored

#10

Pleasure is fleeting. It must be or else you'd still be glowing from your first orgasm. Inevitably the search for pleasure will require variety and inevitably that variety brings you to inflicting pain on others. We do it publicly. The romans fed people to the lions. We have lots of violent sports. Nascar isn't about driving left. It's about the crashes. Hockey is about the fights and checking. Lets not even evaluate…

How is violent video games trying to inflict pain on others ?
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