[Darryl_P]

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So, why would I gravitate towards these types of movies, books, and/or characters?


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My educated guess:

You (like any of us) want to feel a high sense of worth. You like to read about people who have achieved greatness so you can learn and improve yourself, but in the typical case you also feel threatened because it may be that the person you are reading about is superior in EVERY important way and that reduces your self-esteem.

But when you read about a tragic case you don't feel this inferiority since the dude died and you're still alive, so you've got the edge on that key point. That removes the negative self-esteem stuff and leaves you with an enjoyable reading (or viewing) experience.

Just a 2c contribution from one layman observer.