Certain forms of entertainment painful because artificial substitutes for needs unmet and experiences not had?

[nogods4me]

After I listen to certain songs or watch certain movies or tv shows I am left with a horrible depression due to being reminded of my youth when I still hoped and dreamed. If it is a good song or good movie it might distract me while it is playing but once it is over I will feel the crushing absence of life in my existence and it will bring me to tears. It is so common that I stopped watching or listening to anything that isn´t about human suffering and the inability of this world to be anything other than evil.

I guess my reaction (which is how i have lived for decades) is a symptom of some sort of mental illness but isn't it also justified? I can't find joy in beauty unless it is about something that transcends worldly instincts and needs since mine were never met.

 

[niki wonoto]

I can deeply relate with your post. Movies, or any work of fictions really, usually is just trying to escape from reality. The harsh, cruel, cold, unfair, limiting, mundane, absurd, chaotic, & depressing reality. That's why it's called 'entertainment' too, and that's also why any forms of entertainment is basically just trying to make us happy. To escape from the everyday's harsh (& shitty) reality, for many people (unless for some of those 'lucky' people in the world).

It's very hard to find a form of entertainment where it really, truly 100% precisely represents or depicting the same cold, harsh, bleak, & mundane reality / real world / real life. Life is absurd, in reality, and even meaningless/pointless & random, chaotic, where things often just don't make sense. Entertainment, on the other hand, usually have a good purpose, and usually it's to make us happy, whereas in reality / real life / real world, a lot of people can't find happiness / can't be happy, in reality.

I often call this the "reality .vs. imaginations" dilemma (or it's the same with "reality .vs. expectations" popular phrase/meme nowadays). It's sadly also what makes human's consciousness so tragic, ironic, & absurd.

 

[Forever Sleep]

I tend to avoid romances most of the time. I do actually feel pretty ok alone. Even grateful to be alone sometimes but romance films etc. tend to stir up old hopes. I have to remind myself the fairy tale version likely isn't like the real thing.

I also struggle with films that hit too close to home. People dying of cancer, mothers dying etc. Even some music can set me off.

 

[nogods4me]

I can deeply relate with your post. Movies, or any work of fictions really, usually is just trying to escape from reality. The harsh, cruel, cold, unfair, limiting, mundane, absurd, chaotic, & depressing reality. That's why it's called 'entertainment' too, and that's also why any forms of entertainment is basically just trying to make us happy. To escape from the everyday's harsh (& shitty) reality, for many people (unless for some of those 'lucky' people in the world).

It's very hard to find a form of entertainment where it really, truly 100% precisely represents or depicting the same cold, harsh, bleak, & mundane reality / real world / real life. Life is absurd, in reality, and even meaningless/pointless & random, chaotic, where things often just don't make sense. Entertainment, on the other hand, usually have a good purpose, and usually it's to make us happy, whereas in reality / real life / real world, a lot of people can't find happiness / can't be happy, in reality.

I often call this the "reality .vs. imaginations" dilemma (or it's the same with "reality .vs. expectations" popular phrase/meme nowadays). It's sadly also what makes human's consciousness so tragic, ironic, & absurd.

You are so right, I guess that's part of why the largest portion of the movie industry includes the "hollywood ending".

I tend to avoid romances most of the time. I do actually feel pretty ok alone. Even grateful to be alone sometimes but romance films etc. tend to stir up old hopes. I have to remind myself the fairy tale version likely isn't like the real thing.

I also struggle with films that hit too close to home. People dying of cancer, mothers dying etc. Even some music can set me off.

If I am in a particularly depressed mood even the most ridiculous overdone formulaic scenes can make me weep. It reminds me that death will be a beautiful relief.

 

[WhiteRabbit]

When I'm feeling really down, I try to avoid anything nostalgic that reminds me of my old life. I also like sad, depressing films when I'm feeling like this. The bleaker, the better.

 

[nogods4me]

When I'm feeling really down, I try to avoid anything nostalgic that reminds me of my old life. I also like sad, depressing films when I'm feeling like this. The bleaker, the better.

Sometimes the only thing bleak enough for me is horror .