Everyone understands the all-consuming urge to eavesdrop on some juicy gossip they inadvertently hear around campus. Ears shift, eyebrows raise, and we salivate at the sound of the satiating tea. Its flavor is so addictive that sometimes people crave it. A scientific explanation can give some insight into this phenomenon. 

 As we know, every “good” book, movie, show, or whatever the case, has a plot. All effective captivating plots have a climax where the audience is on the edge of their seats. This phenomenon perfectly displays our obsession for conflict. Characters in media often enable the brain to release oxytocin, which is linked to both bonding behaviors and stress. Media writers and influencers alike have mastered this tactic to keep us on our toes and reel us in for more. It is no coincidence that 42.8% of all media on television is drama, culminating to be the largest portion of all sub-categories, if you include reality TV, which let us face it is drama on a whole other level. The more media we consume, the more tales we’re taught, the more we connect with what's in the story.  But why do we stay for the scenes where people grow apart more readily than when people are happily growing together? There is more to the story than simply character development through seasons that keeps us itching for more.  

Something in us drives our conflict seeking and that innate desire is the catharsis we feel when we observe other conflicts. Somehow, we end up feeling better about our own situations, after watching another couple argue, a character in a show experiences grief or sadness, or simply consuming the negativity social media has to offer us. This catharsis is otherwise known as endorphins –  the pain-suppressing and pleasure-inducing compounds mimicked by opioids and heroin. It is often unnoticeable, but a switch from individual conflict resolution to experiencing release observing it in others can become seductive. It is as if we are addicted to constantly feeding ourselves a dissociative substitute for the conflict we crave. Pent up pressure is indirectly released when we vicariously satiate the conflict dynamic of others. The fact that this creates amusement, entertainment, or even joy for us is the result of a negative feedback cycle where we prioritize seeking pleasure in ways we know aren’t “healthy” or positive. That’s the thing though, it’s innate not a choice. While far-reaching, this perspective can help us analyze our day-to-day behavior and fosters thought about why we enjoy what we likely shouldn’t. Whether it be because conflict and arguing inevitably have a negative connotation, or because we’d like to be better than humans who only create negativity in the end, we know it offers us some escape from what we have got going on in our own worlds.  

If we step back and look at what drives us to find joy in conflict, we can begin to understand a viable alternative better suited for maintaining our well beings. Rather than seeking temporarily satisfying catharsis vicariously through another, one should step back and consider the rational that makes the conflict observed so compelling. I asked a friend of mine named Alvina, who frequently posts on her stories her individual opinions about current events and invites others to comment and engage in conversation, why she does it. She focused on the importance of “finding a middle ground to things, to find people that can see different sides of a situation.” Practicing honest communication skills with those around us might help us look less for relief in all the conflict the vast entertainment industry has to offer and wrestle with the conflict within ourselves. We should be prioritizing our mental health, in this era of globalized interconnectedness where it is easier to be verbally diminished behind a screen and bogged down in the world filled with rife conflict. Amid the heat of the moment, our words often flow without restraint spreading gossip, but if we took more initiative to learn more about the “why” of the world around us and the people we inevitably share the world with, in time we will find catharsis in healthier communication skills.  

Citations:

Parrot Analytics. "Most Popular Tv Series Genres Based on Audience Demand in The United States in 2022." Statista, Statista Inc., 19 May 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/715161/most-in-demand-tv-genre-in-north-america/ 

Roberts, Nicole F. “Your Brain on Drama: What Social Media Means for Your Personal Growth.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 10 Aug. 2018, www.forbes.com/sites/nicolefisher/2018/08/10/your-brain-on-drama-what-your-social-media-means-for-personal-growth/?sh=3f4fdfe37e91.