Turning towards suffering The value of engaging with the suffering of strangers

Suffering is an inherent part of human life, from large-scale disasters that affect whole societies to private, silent struggles of everyday life. In an era of constant media exposure, reports of war, catastrophe, injustice, and crises are omnipresent, and stories of suffering are part of regular conversations, social media, literature, films, and other forms of art. Such instances often involve strangers, unfamiliar others, and people in distant times or places. Given the emotional and cognitive costs of engaging with others’ suffering, one might expect people to avoid such content, especially when those involved are not personally close. Yet examples are multiple in which people routinely choose to read, watch, and discuss the hardships of others, actively turning toward suffering.
This dissertation examines why people voluntarily engage with strangers’ suffering and the outcomes of doing so. Drawing on research on curiosity, information seeking, motivated empathy, and emotion regulation, it proposes that such engagement reflects judgments about its perceived value. This value may be epistemic, eudaimonic, personal, social, or affective. Overall, this work aims to clarify how engaging with others’ hardship can foster learning, reflection on life, and a sense of connection with distant others.