Why We Love Violence: The Dark Psychology Behind Our Social Urge to Win, Control, and Punish

Why We Love Violence: The Dark Psychology Behind Our Social Urge to Win, Control, and PunishWhy are we so drawn to violence—not just in movies and media, but in everyday life? From binge-watching brutal TV shows to shouting matches on highways and social media, this episode explores the unsettling truth about our emotional appetite for conflict. Professor RJ Starr takes us deep into the psychology behind our cultural obsession with dominance, outrage, and retribution.

We unpack the neuroscience of why violent content excites the brain, how unresolved emotional needs get projected into our entertainment choices, and what it means when society normalizes cruelty as a form of power. This isn’t just about what we watch—it’s about how we argue, how we vote, how we treat each other, and what it’s doing to our collective emotional health.

Blending psychological theory, cultural critique, and real-world insight, this episode offers a sobering—and ultimately empowering—look at how we can reclaim our sensitivity in a world that keeps demanding we disconnect.

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