Are there reasons we (Less Wrong/SF fandom folks) are interested in torture beyond S/M and sexual gratification? Oh, and the reasons for watching horror movies, too, etc. That is, are there some explicitly geek reasons for being interested in torture?
I don’t like horror or reading about torture. I don’t have any explanation for why geeks may like it.
I would tend to self-identify as a geek, and I love science fiction, but while I like actual horror (suspense) movies, I hate “horror” movies (i.e. the slasher films that have mostly supplanted actual horror films in the desire to take the lowest common denominator’s money).
To put it more concretely, an actual horror movie would be something like (the original version of) The Thing, for example.
A “horror” movie would be crap like the Friday the 13th and Saw franchises.
Uh-huh. What constitutes “authenticity” in horror movies is kind of blurry for me though; say, I’m one of the very few people who like the critically panned 2002 film Ghost Ship a lot. It’s one of the few genuine hellfire-and-brimstone Puritan-flavoured stories you’re likely to see in modern days. (There’s also Drag Me To Hell)
Love it. And occasionally my love of protagonists being ruthless badasses overcomes my aversion to torture—for example I liked seeing Liam Neeson torturing the kidnapper then killing him. And Jack Bauer torturing people just seems so natural that I couldn’t possibly object.
I don’t like horror or reading about torture. I don’t have any explanation for why geeks may like it.
I would tend to self-identify as a geek, and I love science fiction, but while I like actual horror (suspense) movies, I hate “horror” movies (i.e. the slasher films that have mostly supplanted actual horror films in the desire to take the lowest common denominator’s money).
To put it more concretely, an actual horror movie would be something like (the original version of) The Thing, for example.
A “horror” movie would be crap like the Friday the 13th and Saw franchises.
Uh-huh. What constitutes “authenticity” in horror movies is kind of blurry for me though; say, I’m one of the very few people who like the critically panned 2002 film Ghost Ship a lot. It’s one of the few genuine hellfire-and-brimstone Puritan-flavoured stories you’re likely to see in modern days. (There’s also Drag Me To Hell)
What about violence? It seems that humans demand violence: Total Recall—All The Deaths
Love it. And occasionally my love of protagonists being ruthless badasses overcomes my aversion to torture—for example I liked seeing Liam Neeson torturing the kidnapper then killing him. And Jack Bauer torturing people just seems so natural that I couldn’t possibly object.
(slightly edited my comment, I’m curious about torture alone here, as there are in fact lots of explanations for horror’s popularity)