There’s some cruelty inherent in fishing and hunting. I’m not opposed to either and fish myself, but I think it’d be dishonest not acknowledge that they cause suffering.
That we should avoid causing unnecessary suffering isn’t a controversial proposition. What’s less clear is what kind of damage we do to ourselves if we cause suffering to others. And what about witnessing suffering? Does that cause damage?
The media are full of cruelty, but it’s rare that it’s presented simply for entertainment. Instead, it’s packaged in one of three ways:
- Cruelty to raise awareness. PETA videos showing mistreatment of animals or photos of kids disfigured in war are two examples
- Fictional cruelty to bad people. Quentin Tarantino’s movie are good examples. Nazis are killed in cruel ways
- Cruelty as a plot device. A movie that shows Nazis murdering innocent people makes it more acceptable when they themselves get killed in terrible ways later on
I’m curious how damaging witnessing cruelty, even if it is fictional and has been made more palatable, is to our psyches. How much does it desensitize us? Does it make us feel distressed at some level? Does it diminish our capacity for empathy? Are there longer-term consequences? Clearly media containing cruelty isn’t making us feel bad enough that we avoid watching it altogether. Otherwise, nobody would watch Tarantino’s movies.
So does pervasive exposure to cruelty have negative consequences, and if so, how bad are they?
Nehaveigur 