Why do people enjoy getting outraged?

[NAB]

This isn't directed at this forum (although it's present here), but the current maelstrom of political and social discussion seems to center around people wanting to get pissed about something.

I'm curious on what this forum of heady thinkers believes is the true root cause of this phenomenon.

To help discuss this, I'll put a couple of bullet points as a starting point, but feel free to add to it, without getting outraged of course.

-it's like a toothache. You shouldn't touch it with your tongue but you can't resist. Pain is good.

-form of attention seeking or way to feel important and plugged in, ie self empowerment for the mediocre

-people just suck as a general rule of thumb.

Discuss

[eynon81]

I honestly think a good deal of the human race enjoy it. We're nasty tribal little murder-apes.

[NAB]

[Winchester]

[Dylan]

Nothing feels better than justified (whether it's actually justified or not) anger.

Also 24 hour news cycle.

Also of note: search "outrage" and limit to cnn.com, foxnews.com, msnbc.com.

59,200, 19,800, 15,400, respectively.

[Spider]

[John Galt]

[The Comrade]

we're all dead inside and it's what we use to feel alive

[Spider]

I think it just makes people feel like part of the narrative.

If something happens and everyone politely opines but really doesn't get that upset about it, they are pretty much irrelavent. But if a bunch of people flip the hell out and start raging, they get taken notice of, and become at least part of the issue, and maybe part of its resolution...as opposed to nameless, faceless non-actors.

Mass outrage is effectual.

[exploited]

I'd much prefer not to be outraged all the time, but since that is impossible, might as well milk it for all the self-righteousness I can get.