Suffering Brings Joy?
Watching others suffer brings joy and cheerfulness? As stated by Nietzsche in, “Genealogy of Morals,” he believes that making others suffer brings both of these feelings. Well I think that it certainly depends, because there is a disparity between someone that deserves to suffer from those who do not. However, I do not believe that anyone should suffer, yet I do feel that many people find joy and cheerfulness when they see someone that deserves to suffer get punished. On the other hand, when a person who does not deserve to suffer gets punished, then there is a sense of remorse. This is seen in many of today’s films where the least favorite character, mainly because they are evil, suffers; in which the audience receives a sense of joy. When the character that is favored, however, gets punished and suffers, then the audiences feels sorrow.
Nietzsche talks about cruelty in old cultures and mentions that suffering was a cheerful act. It was something that people always found “joy or justification” in . Also that there was no senseless suffering because of the joy it brought people. However, I think that this joy rose mainly from seeing enemies or evil people suffer. It would not make sense if someone close suffered and people, such as relatives, felt joy. It is the least favored person that brings out that joy from suffering. There is usually built up emotions that create this sensation to hurt or see other hurting, which brings out satisfaction in some people.
In addition, Nietzsche reveals his logic which states that a person who lends someone money that does not pay will find pleasure in punishing the person in debt. He also adds that in old cultures people made others suffer because it was fun, and that guilt was seen as a debt. However, it is difficult to combine suffering and joy to those undeserving. Its difficulty comes from Nietzsche generalizing joy in suffering. What I mean is that, he only gives the example of the person in debt.
He does not include when a person is undeserving of a punishment. Is it still joyful?
Nietzsche then goes on and states that gods were created to witness all the suffering imposed on people. This seems a bit extreme, because people value whatever god they believe in and seek sovereignty over their sins. People look up to their gods for protection, blessing, and good health, but would never think of seeing them as only spectators of their suffering. In addition, in old cultures, people would sacrifice animals for their gods in order to receive spiritual wellness and blessings. It was not sacrifice that entertained their gods while they watched all the suffering of the world.
It was for the exact opposite, to reduce and prevent any form of suffering.
Nietzsche presents and interesting ideology with in “Genealogy of Morals,” that explains why suffering can be a joyful act. However it is an ideology that seems to generalize how people feel when watching others suffer. He says the joy is present alongside suffering, yet that might not always be the case. I believe that joy has a possibility of existing mainly when horrible people are punished. However, even then, people feel a sense of remorse. It can be the same types of remorse seen when watching undeserving people suffer. He also presents the idea of gods being almost like spectators that only watch over our suffering. This, like I mentioned, is implausible reasoning, because people like to think that gods are above them to protect, bless, and heal them, not to watch them in pain. In all, Nietzsche reveals his perspective of joy in suffering that might have its light of reason, but seems limited when it is looked from two sides: the deserving and undeserving.
