• IrateAnteater
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    3 days ago

    Am I the only one who doesn’t find awkwardness entertaining?

    • Ahrotahntee@lemmy.ca
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      3 days ago

      It’s not just you. Second hand embarrassment is just as bad as first hand embarrassment for me.

      It’s a wildly unpopular take, but it’s the reason I can’t watch most of Steve Carell’s stuff, including the office.

      • Kusimulkku@lemm.ee
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        2 days ago

        Second hand embarrassment is just as bad as first hand embarrassment for me.

        That’s what makes it so great!

      • sugar_in_your_tea
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        3 days ago

        Agreed. I like a few Office episodes, but I never really got into it. I’m also not a fan of self-deprecating humor, despite making a lot of self-deprecating jokes myself.

        We exist, but I think we’re in the minority.

      • noodlejetski@lemm.ee
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        3 days ago

        I watched all of The Office, but I had to keep actively reminding myself that those situations aren’t real and that they’re paid actors who are expecting everything that’s happening, in order not to wince my face inside out.

    • Boozilla
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      3 days ago

      I don’t like it, either. And I’m not a fan of the “obsessed with sex while shaming other people for being obsessed with sex” vibe of shit like this.

      • Ech@lemm.ee
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        3 days ago

        Shaming scumbags for harassing people is always OK.

        • Boozilla
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          3 days ago

          Wanting to watch stuff like that is weird.

          • Ech@lemm.ee
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            3 days ago

            I don’t, but conflating it with sex shaming isn’t cool.

          • TriflingToad
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            3 days ago

            I assume the moms would go on the show willingly and accept the shame that comes with it

    • sfbing@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      I agree, but this wouldn’t be about awkward – it would be vengeance. Just rewards. Assholes getting their due.

    • madjo@feddit.nl
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      2 days ago

      Call me overly optimistic, but I would hope that such a program would stop men from doing such creepy behaviour.

      • P0rkduck@lemm.ee
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        2 days ago

        Call me overly pessimistic, but I would think that such a program would encourage men to make dms even creepier.

        • Croquette
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          2 days ago

          I don’t think they need that to make it even more disgusting.

    • ace_of_based
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      3 days ago

      Nah, i feel ya. I actually get empathetic physical reactions to seeing on-screen awkwardness

      • sugar_in_your_tea
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        3 days ago

        Yup, haven’t watched a sitcom in many years.

        I used to love sitcoms (Seinfeld, King of Queens, IT Crowd, etc), but I guess it’s just not what I’m looking for anymore. If I want comedy, I usually go with stand-up these days.

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Awkwardness is incredibly cheap to film and turn around into content. Less that you find it entertaining and more that you’ll fixate on it as a clip in a long line of similar looking content. HBO / Discovery Channel love this kind of low-rent reality TV, because it gets people into watching the first episode purely on shock value. Also great for getting the name recognition of the show up among the critically lucrative “I’m too mature for cartoons but not mature enough to watch normal TV” 13-21 demographic.

      Literally the only thing that matters is whether your cursor hovers over it or your scroll pauses for a second as you pass over it. The Algorithm will flag this as “We have your attention” and feed you an increasing quantity of the slop until you give in or you stop using whatever media service is delivering it.

    • Jakeroxs
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      3 days ago

      I find it more entertaining if it’s fake, like with the office. I dislike real-world awkwardness if it was at the level those shows take it.

      Random awkwardness can be fine, but like the example OP gave would be so cringey I couldn’t watch lol.

      Reality TV gets to that point, so I never watch lol

      • Lightor@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        This right here.

        “Real” awkwardness is usually coming at someone’s expense. I don’t enjoy that. The same way true sadness is usually at someone’s expense.

        But if it’s part of a story, fine. I’ll watch a sad movie or a show that has awkward moments. Those very real feelings explored in a fun way that hurts no one can be a good time. Just like no one really enjoys being genuinely scared, but a scary movie can trigger that emotion in a safe and fun way.

      • Abnorc@lemm.ee
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        2 days ago

        I watched the first episode of The Office (UK), and the awkwardness was too much for me. I’ll probably give it a second shot eventually though.

    • animephantasm@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      3 days ago

      I am the same way. My husband loves I Think You Should Leave. I cannot stand how horrible and awkward it is. Like its not just not funny it’s actively uncomfortable to watch. Which makes it even funnier to him >.>

    • ObjectivityIncarnate@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      Nope, I hate it too.

      Also, this premise kind of sucks as a ‘game’. Unless mom has experience with being hit on by her son, how would she have any inkling to identify which of the messages is his? ‘Oh, that’s my boy, I know he’s into the massive tits’, lol.

      This is just ‘let’s make fun of men for being thirsty’ thinly-veiled misandry, plenty of women have sent plenty of cringe DMs to men they’ve lusted after, too.

      • DontMakeMoreBabies@lemm.ee
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        3 days ago

        I hate cringe comedy because it makes me feel awkward… But I’m very much not an empathetic person (for whatever reason, I don’t really ‘do’ affective empathy).

        • deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz
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          3 days ago

          it makes me feel awkward

          Literally empathy: I’m experiencing an emotion because someone else is experiencing that emotion.

          Not to be confused with sympathy: I noticed you’re experiencing an emotion.

            • Croquette
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              2 days ago

              That’s exactly what empathy is. Not sure why you get your panties in a bunch.

              You feel what the other person is feeling even if it’s not happening to you.

            • vaultdweller013
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              2 days ago

              Thats empathy, I have had to do a lot of lessons due to my autism. Thats empathy are particular type sure but its certainly empathic by nature. There are far more ways for social traits to function than how the majority claims they do, also I am convinced that mist folks are lying for whatever reason when questioned.

    • JokeDeity@lemm.ee
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      3 days ago

      You’re not alone, but I don’t think in the majority. How do you feel about the show The Office?

      • sugar_in_your_tea
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        3 days ago

        I’m not OP, but I thought it was mediocre at best. I’ve watched maybe a dozen episodes, always with other people, and I honestly don’t like it when watching on my own.

        To each their own I guess.