I’m asking as I’m trying to understand empathy and whether it’s normal to get so invested in fake characters, I mean it’s probably a testament to the writers but I overthink… a lot.

This question was bright on as I’ve been catching up on The Blacklist and at lunch today watching Season 8 Episode name “Anne “ and it wrecked me.

Tap for spoiler

Basically the main character Red has to live a guarded life and for once he let it form and got close to Anne and you could tell shit was going to go downhill and it destroyed me when you think about it from his or her perspective.

For reference I’m 41 year old dude, not that it matters.

Edit: Bedtime for me but back tomorrow to reply to all.

Edit 2: I’ve got 41 comments to respond to. Currently working but I’ll be back y’all.

  • Soapbox@lemmy.zipEnglish
    14·
    20 hours ago

    I often tear up from scenes from movies and tv. Yet basically never do for anything in real life.

    I was listening to an NPR story the other day about how a ton of people showed up to donate blood to save an infant, and only one was a match, but it was anonymous, now the kid is a healthy 20yr old and the mom can’t thank the person who saved them. It had my eyes all mushy on my commute home.

    Yet, I had a cousin, and an uncle pass within the last few months and while I was sad, and I miss them, not a tear generated.

    • 5too@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      1 hour ago

      Probably due to how I grew up, I don’t often feel like it’s… right? Reasonable? for me to cry for personal things. But I can cry for others, for whatever reason. Showed my kids Pixar’s Up for the first time the other day, and we got to the scene near the end where Carl finds some of the messages his wife left him. My kids are still fairly young, and were trying to figure out what was going on in that scene. They also didn’t understand at first why my voice sounded so weird…

    • 🖖USS-Ethernet@startrek.websiteEnglish
      5·
      19 hours ago

      I’m the same way. My wife actually gives me shit for it because she doesn’t understand how I can’t have more feelings for those around me. I don’t think I’d shed a tear or even feel that emotional for anyone in my extended family dying. Just my wife and kids. Makes me question if there’s something wrong with me.

      She can tell me some sad real life story and it doesn’t affect me. But movies, shows, books, and games can have me tear up or bawling.

      • Nastybutler@lemmy.world
        6·
        19 hours ago

        Same here. When my grandfather, who I was very close with, passed away, I never cried. But I bawled like a baby at Toy Story 3.

        I think it’s the soundtrack. If someone had told me about my grandfather while some emotional string music swelled, I probably would have cried.