Misfortunes and tragedies awaken in us a somewhat unpleasant curiosity. We stop when we see that there has been a car accident. We look sideways when passing next to the wrecked car. If an ambulance is coming on the street, many people stop until the sirens stop sounding and the vehicle stops before a building. The most curious wait until they get the victim on the stretcher. We stop because we want to make sure that it is not us who are going on that stretcher.
The human tendency to be drawn to misfortunes and tragedies reveals a complex curiosity within us. When we encounter a car accident, our instincts compel us to pause and observe, as if drawn to the scene by an invisible force. This fascination often leads us to steal glances at wrecks or halt as we hear an ambulance’s sirens, waiting anxiously for what unfolds next. There is an innate desire to witness the aftermath of calamity, driven not only by curiosity but by a deeper fear of our own vulnerability.
This urge to look at the suffering of others can be unsettling, reflecting a shared recognition of mortality and the fragility of life. Observing the aftermath of an accident helps us confront the reality that it could just as easily be us in that situation. The act of watching others in distress helps us grapple with our existential fears, making us acutely aware that life can change in an instant, and it is often more about self-preservation than empathy in these moments of intrigue.
