Human Cruelty

[Humility]

Well perhaps your point is poorly made?

500 is the magic number. If you must interact with more then that many to a regular extent the result is increased stress. Those slum people do not have to interact with more then that magic number.

@Rota

They don't actually have any other choice. Tthere are only two alternatives I can think of that will result in the same level of negative empathy.

1. Showing the cold blooded murder of children.

2. Graphic Torture of Women

The difficulty with performing 1 and getting away with it is obvious. You would need the cast, the parents, the workers, the writers and the director to all be able to stomach it.

And graphic torture takes up a lot of screen time.

And it must be either women or children, men don't have empathy the audience. The audience don't care what happens to the male lead. In fact, showing the man in terror or anything like that will actually worsen the audience's perception of him so they would rather him die.

@Rodri

Violence is cool and sexy. If it wasn't the brain wouldn't be designed to reward us with endorphins when we take part in it.

Its just the death part that ends up unpleasant.

The mental separation of death from violence is why the bad guys are always dehumanized. Where as if the violence doesn't equal death they are free to humanize.