Lets talk about human nature.

Why do people flock to drama? Why do we tune in to all the bad news? Why can't we take our eyes away from an accident. Why do so many, including myself, watch so many rather sick reality television shows?

Why do individuals, couples, family and friends often seem to spend more time bickering and complaining than saying positive things.

Why is the news always filled with gloom and doom - why do we get fixated on disasters?

Times are really hard now. I know I can misdirect my anger onto the people I love the most , i try not too, but sometimes it just happens.

Lots of people keep saying the boards focus is negative - its not really the case but those are the posts that get the hits.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I know there is always plenty of conflict in my own family. If I want to go looking for it, I just need to pick up the phone and within a half hour I will hear outrageous stuff about my loved ones. I still love the slanderers in my family. They are the ones who are suffering the most. Who knows what I would do If I walked in their shoes.

Why are we (humans)so attracted to drama? What is it about us?

It's so.....wickedly human nature, Roots! You know, like when you're driving by an accident, you rubber-neck; gotta see what's going on, I guess. I have done the same thing! To answer your question, of course, being the psychologist, I really wonder about the hormones that get released while viewing/reading/listening to dramatic material....it would be interesting brain research, as I know that even the very most balanced individuals get their attention drawn to drama....good PhD doctoral dissertation topic.

Very good question, Rootswoman. I've often wondered and thought about it myself. Why are people so interested in drama? People gloss over the news looking for drama on celebrities so maybe they can say their own lives aren't so bad because even they have problems and aren't perfect....I don't know. A very strange human nature thing.

If we could just focus on positivity of things and even the positive that may come out of negative. I don't know the answer by an means.

excellent post Jeannie, it makes sense.

most people do slow down, i see it every day on the freeways here in LA.

You sound like a Highly Sensitive Person, Medi. You are not alone my dear. Try googeling Highly Sensitive People, If you haven't before. I bought one of the books on Amazon. It helped me understand myself a lot.

My daughter said that is why people watch Jerry Springer.On your worst day watch Jerry and then EVERYTHING is good.I truly think that alot of people want to see other people get mentality hurt ,whether it be by cruelity or just plain arogance that is fueled by igorance.After all this "talk" lately ,I have decided not to mention "you know what" again.But on a closing note on that,my comments where never about drama but where "boiled out" by being pissed off at someone that if made those hurtful statements to ANYONE !!!! of you infront of me I'd punch his f****** lights out.There I said it and it's over,Tammy you never have to worry about this "cat" again causing you grieve again.All you guys are GREAT !!!! whether we are on the same page or not.Come to Nova Scotia and visit me !!!

Working, gotta run - love this thread, Vonnegut link is great and I'm going to do Medi's test but a quick thought - the older I get the less patience I have for drama and drama queens/kings.

I watched my God-daughter grow up and through her teens and early twenties there seems to always need to be some conflict or drama of some sort - lots of peaks and valleys not gentle hills and declines. In my younger life I was much the same and those gentle hills and declines didn't really start to take shape until I was past my mid-thirties - and I believe I'm a late bloomer that way - I feel that really SHOULD happen at one's Saturn Return...

...more later...