Why do we specifically I feel liberated or freed after watching something sad?

Discussion in 'Novel General' started by collegbook, Dec 30, 2019.

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  1. collegbook

    collegbook Member

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    I watch a lot of sad movies, anime and anime movies that make me feel sad and heavy hearted but after sometime I feel relaxed and liberated
     
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  2. otaku31

    otaku31 Well-Known Member

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    Catharsis.
     
  3. ludagad

    ludagad Addicted to escapist novels

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  4. Loni4ever

    Loni4ever The Fluffy White Wolf

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  5. ludagad

    ludagad Addicted to escapist novels

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    Lol, it really depends on mindset. A lot of people really do experience catharsis, but not all. I'm one of those who don't. I mainly feel irritated or like I did something pointless by devoting hours of my free time and investing my emotions into reading a tragedy, and then I ponder the pointlessness of life for 5 minutes and spiral into an existential crisis, sometimes accompanied by depression. I prefer getting spoiled about the ending of any novel, movie, etc, than going through it unknowingly and setting myself up for a shitty ol' time afterward.

    So, it depends on how well you know yourself. If you know you don't get that invested in fictional characters and you're not prone to spiraling into dark moods, then give tragedies a try and see about that promised catharsis. Otherwise, be careful about it and don't go in with high expectations. Maybe only mentally stable people can go through with it. Personally, I find horrors (especially zombie flicks) a better entertainment.
     
  6. frozenlimabeans

    frozenlimabeans Well-Known Member

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    Well for me, it's the built up stress that I didn't know existed in me or that I didnt want to put a reason to because I know those reasons are bad, so blaming other things just gives me a sense of relief and more control.

    It sounds really twisted and doesn't happen often for me, but like when I read a bad ending or event and cry about it. I just feel refreshed afterwards. Like give myself a pat on the back for crying about something else than trying to solve the uncontrollable factors in my life
     
  7. Loni4ever

    Loni4ever The Fluffy White Wolf

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    I see, that makes sense. I think I tend to avoid tragedy but most often, it does have a cathartic effect for me. If not that, at least it never really got to me in a way like you described it.

    Funnily, I'd much rather watch tragedy than horror. Although both horror movies and tragedy movies are unsettling, the horror ones need a lot more effort on my part to regain my mental/emotional peace XD so tragedy over horror movie anytime. It's different with novels though... maybe they're more or less on the same level when written :hmm:
     
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  8. Wujigege

    Wujigege *Christian*SIMP*Comedian

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    It's not healthy in large quantities.
    You might think you are happy but you maybe depressed and experiencing a manic episode
     
  9. unclebebby

    unclebebby Well-Known Member

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    Those movies make me take my pants off and that's why I feel liberated.

    No but seriously I don't know if that's healthy that sounds rough man.
     
  10. kouk2002

    kouk2002 Well-Known Member

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    I feel like another me posted before I could. Same feeling, and same preferences. That mentally stable thing might be true. I never had much trouble with it when I was younger. Yet once I reached my 20's and had been through certain experiences I just can't handle them anymore.
     
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  11. CarmineCalico

    CarmineCalico Well-Known Member

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    Personally I sometimes find it very cathartic to have a good cry. And a tv show/film/manga/novel/book is a good way to achieve that, since I am unable to cry on command. Crying can be nice to vent stress or any other complicated emotions you are unable to fully process at the moment.

    However-- I don't like feeling emotionally manipulated, and some tv shows can be *very* heavy handed with their plotline and cues of "and you should start tearing up and crying right... about.... now! Music swells! Waterworks please!". This can really take me out of the moment, and instead of having a nice cry, I end up annoyed, frustrated, and feeling somewhat cheated. So if I'm going to enjoy some occasional tearjerker material, I want some decent quality stuff. :blobcry:
     
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2019
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  12. ludagad

    ludagad Addicted to escapist novels

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    There's a reason it's said that only writers who have mastered the craft can write a tragedy (I really want to find out who said this paraphrased quote, it's been a long time since I forgot). The rest is some contrived, sub-par, forced bullshit meant to cheat youngsters' emotions (really picturing John Green's books here. Don't come for me. But he's not the only offender BY FAR). :blobwhistle:
     
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  13. ToastedRossi

    ToastedRossi Well-Known Member

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    I'm not even sure that it's a matter of mastery. I've seen first time writers manage to pull off tragedies properly, and I've seen veteran writers completely flub it. I think that it's largely a matter of the writer understanding that her book is a tragedy and having the guts to follow through with it.
     
  14. joey183

    joey183 The Mysterious Entity

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    I think this is why I felt refreshed after a good tearjerker story.
    Yeah, me too. I can't cry in real but I'm able to cry from tv show/film/manga/novel/book.
    Yes, it does feel irritating sometimes when I couldn't cry in the 'sad' scenes. When that happens, I make it into a comedy instead, laughing while others is crying is hilarious and fun thing to do ;)
     
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