Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello… Why would anyone enjoy watching tragedy?

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Via Miller McCune:

Researchers led by Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick of Ohio State University have tentatively propose some answers. In the journal Communication Research, they present evidence that watching tragedy inspires self-reflection, which allows us to re-focus on the people in our lives we might otherwise take for granted. The melancholy emotions these tales arouse ultimately provoke pleasant feelings of gratitude.

And:

In other words, contentment breeds complacency. Tragedy wakes us up, reminds us that horrible things can and do happen, and inspires us to appreciate what we have. What’s not to love about that?

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