Why Are Some People Irresistibly Drawn To Things They Disagree With?

Question

I've know people to actually admit that they can't stay away from things they disagree with in regards to conversation or reading materials. Why is that?

What about when people are drawn to things that they can only passively listen to are watch or read?

Answer 1

There could be many reasons. But I suspect that in some notable cases the disagreement is the overt behavior because the person belongs to a group or subculture that is intolerant of whatever they claim to be in disagreement with, but in truth the person is unsconsciously attracted to the thing or situation in question and is surreptitiously approving of it. A conservative religious leader who condemns homosexuality and drugs, for example, does not come in contact with both of those by accident. This actually happened in recent times. I'm not trying to pass judgment on that person but using the situation as an example of a larger phenomenon. A more dramatic example would be the case of someone who is staunchly against pedophilia but procures a job in law enforcement to fight child porn under color of authority while actually deriving pleasure from being exposed to the evidence itself and the case stories involved in the job.

Answer 2

Love of debate?? If you disagree with what someone is saying, or what you are watching for movies / tv shows, it gives you something to debate about. Personally, I love it too. A lot of the time I do so, not because I have a clue what is really going on, but because I love to debate and that doesn't mean I like others around me upset all the time, but I do this mostly for the fight and also to give them another way of thinking instead. I keep telling those I debate with to stop living on a one-way street and to rethink somethings. Sometimes I'm right, sometimes I'm not, but at either rate it makes for interesting conversation.

Answer 3

I think it's human nature to try to be "right" or think that our own beliefs should be the beliefs of other people, at least in many circumstances. Like abortion, you try to debate that what the other person thinks doesn't make sense or is illogical for one reason or another. People are so ignorant and although it isn't likely that you can change someones mind you can make them see why the way they are thinking is "incorrect" to you. I don't think it's just about making things interesting, I think that it's a true feeling that you want to convince someone that what we are thinking is right and that they should also "be on our side". I think it's human nature to try to get people on your side, although it sounds immature, it's not only competition but survival of the fittest. I want you to know that why I think the way I think is superior, therefore, you should join my thought process and agree. People ultimately want others to agree with them. That's how we have friends because they mostly agree and support us on important issues. Everyone wants to be supported and if you can change someones mind in order to acheive that, then you have accomplished something (and accomplishment in our lives, another "human nature" thing, is what we are proud of). So there are many factors as to why people want to debate besides the obvious.

Answer 4

2 reasons come to mind. As stated above....debate which some of us love to do. Challenge ourselves to prove what we think/believe. The other is tied to it in some ways and that is the quest for knowledge. Okay, I believe x is true, if I do not listen to other views and opinions and challenge myself I can never be sure that what I believe is actually true or not.

Answer 5

awesome question. I think we all want to either make us more convicted at what we agree with or curious why people think a certain way that is so different.

Answer 6

Because it makes things more interesting.

Answer 7

b/c they want to know more about it so that they can hate it more no joke thats what i really think