Reading “A Painful Obsession” by Jonathan Dow brought into sharp relief a flaw in our society that I’m sure everyone is aware of, but hardly ever acts against. Jon­athan explains that our world increasingly seems to find pleasure or humor in watching the pain and suffering of others. From reality television to highly graphic movies and YouTube shorts, we constantly see examples of pain that we are supposed to find comical. Sadly, many people do.

What I really like about this piece is that it persuaded me to believe its premise. At one point Jonathan describes a YouTube video in which a girl is towed along, facedown, by a runaway dog. This example, with a few choice words, is definitely going to make people agree with his viewpoint.

I also greatly appreciate the author’s honesty. Jonathan confesses that he also laughed the first time he watched the video. He admits to this instead of acting like he had a clear conscience the entire time. Overall, the piece is excellent – something everyone should read.