Why we Like to See Others Fail, Fall or do Something Stupid

If you were to ask anyone, they'd tell you that the reason they like to see people fail, fall or do something stupid is that it's funny... and there's certainly no denying that it truly is funny.
Would you believe, however, that people didn't always find it funny?

Years ago people would feel bad for those who failed or try to help prevent someone from doing something stupid or help to prevent them from doing something stupid again. However today, it's amusement which we can build sites around and entertain ourselves for hours as we go from post to post.

It's entirely up to you to decide if such a change is right or wrong but I do find it an interesting commentary on how we as humans have progressed. Is it that it that we care less about our fellow man? Is it that our senses of humour have changed over the years? Is it that we just didn't get the joke back then?

I'm not a psychiatrist and don't pretend to be one (because I'd be pretending to be a very bad one) but it's been my observations over many years that what it boils down to is one very simple concept: for a very brief, flashing moment before the laughter starts, we feel really really good about ourselves... that we're "not that guy!"

It's the idea that if we can't rise up to be great, at least there's someone failing or falling or doing something dumber than we are. It only makes sense that if there is a 'higher' point in life that there has to be a 'lower' point as well. So what we do subconsciously is find or even push people 'lower' to give the illusion that we are 'higher'. It's not a perfect analogy but you get the idea.

We see it every day from bullies on a school yard to your typical Internet 'haters' that frequent any social gathering.  Those that feel they can never be better than they are try to associate with and push others down.

But think about this, they may seem to be lower on the ladder than you... but they may be failing, falling or doing something stupid while on their way up that ladder and they'll pass you as you stand there and thinking you're superior.