Why are people so fascinated by watching others fight or argue?

Have you ever picked sides in a fight or imagined yourself to be that person because, in reality, you cannot defy or argue back? Researchers look into the details of one of the most dramatic and comedic habits of humans, which is to watch other people engaging in high-voltage clashes. This article explains how it became a hobby, what goes through the mind of a person watching the drama, and how it affects your mind, backed by certain shocking findings by researchers. 

Why do we love watching people fight? 

• A common hobby that doesn't need an introduction or details for anyone to relate to, it's innate. We not only love watching but also tell it to the other person with pride on our faces. Many reality shows have been making millions by monetising the habit. How did such a great habit develop within ourselves? Researchers have found that this isn’t a modern habit but has a long history that can be traced back to evolution. “Since time immemorial, humans have competed against each other … Watching combat sports such as boxing and wrestling is an extension of that habit, with all the thrill but none of the personal danger,” wrote Christian Jarrett, in his article “Why do we enjoy watching other people fight?” for BBC Science Focus magazine.

• Humanity has evolved in a competitive space, fighting for survival, making way out of difficulties, and keeping body and soul together by gathering food. The adrenaline rush acts as one of the factors that keeps us so intrigued throughout the entire fight or after. The masochistic escape mechanism can be understood as a phenomenon where you can't escape your life or hardships, and with time, you accept it and romanticise it. Susan Sontag says, “To suffer is one thing; another thing is living with the photographed images of suffering.” She briefly talks about "aestheticisation of others’ pain" that gives way to Sadism and voyeurism. 

Factors contributing to the habit 

Many theorists and researchers have delved into the issue and found surprising facts. Many philosophical thinkers, like Aristotle and Friedrich Nietzsche, revealed insights about human psychology. In Poetics Ch. 6 by Aristotle, it is written “Through pity and fear, [tragedy] effects the proper purgation of these emotions.” It means when a person watches someone in pity and fear, it purifies their own emotions, while Nietzsche says fights are creative and life-affirming forces. Here are certain facts that you must know:- 

• Tendency to take sides- When we watch two people fighting, we pick a side even when it is not required. We humans evolved in tribes where survival was paramount. There has always been a sense of who we are, and we are not; the distinction exhibits our identity and values. “The very act of categorising ourselves creates the enemy,” said Henri Tajfel in his work Social Identity and Intergroup Behavior (1974).  
• Imagination- Have you ever wished to be the person arguing in a high-pitched voice or be the wrestler of WWE, punching the life out of the opponents! Exactly, that feeling is what compels us to put everything on hold and invest all our attention in that conflict. Most of us have never spoken in a loud voice to anyone in life. We must have had a moment in life where we wanted to say no to someone, but we could not, or faced a situation where we were blamed for no reason, we suffered it in silence and plotted revenge. It is universal. Imagination helps us relax and gives us false assurance that one day we will be able to defend ourselves. 
• To seek catharsis- The term Catharsis was first used in the Poetics (4th Century BCE) by Aristotle. It means "purification". In chapter 6, he explained why people love watching others in pity. He argues that watching others releases their own stress and purifies their own emotions. 
• Stress reward- Chronic stress releases dopamine. Your body shifts to parasympathetic recovery, and you instantly feel relief and satisfaction. People experience it through watching a movie or a dramatic series after a stressful workday. 
• Survival by Observation- The Internet has indeed protected us from facing embarrassing moments. Humans and animals survive by observing their leaders or the eldest member of the family in a life-threatening situation. When we watch someone fight, we observe their ability to handle the situation, their method, because from where the fight occurred, the main issue might be foreign or unknown to us. Therefore, watching fights and arguments keeps us aware. 

 Read more from the author: Is Overthinking as Fatal as Chronic Diseases? Center Fresh Releases Report