Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

> Because when you think about it coldly, it's not obvious why you should care that other people are embarrassing themselves.

It has to do with enforcing and confining oneself to acceptable social behavior, and reinforcing those boundaries for oneself.

As you say, it's involuntary, or instinctive, like many social behaviors.

> On the contrary, people who talk about "cringe" are often fiercely angry at the people making them feel this way.

Aside from blaming them for the discomfort, this is also part of the enforcement aspect.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: