Do you feel embarrassed for other people?

United States
August 21, 2007 2:27pm CST
When you are in public and see someone trip, do you feel embarrassed for them? Or, do you laugh? If someone ends up doing something silly (not on purpose) in public do you think it's funny? Or, do you feel bad for them that they would mess up in public? As for me, I'm most likely to feel embarrassed for the other person, because I know what it feels like to mess up in front of other people. If it were me, I know how bad I would feel. I don't find anything funny about those types of situations. But, other people I know are more likely to start laughing. No me! That's just me. I suppose everyone has a different experience. How would you feel in a similar situation? Would you feel embarrassed or amused? Would you try to help the other person out or stand back and watch them try to get out of the situation all by themselves?
7 people like this
26 responses
@peanutjar (5198)
• Canada
21 Aug 07
To tell the truth,its not to be mean but i do laugh but only inside,because i know what its like and its very embarrasing.I feel embarrased for them because you can see it in their face and the reaction.I hurry over and help them and ask if they are o.k..Instead of someone just standing there gaulking or walking right by.This is ignorant.Do a good deed,you will receive one back.
@AmbiePam (84650)
• United States
21 Aug 07
I would definitely be embarrassed for that person. If the person obviously needed help, I would go over and help them. But if they hadn't hurt themselves, I would pretend I hadn't seen it. That is what I'd prefer if it were me. I would just want people to act like they hadn't seen it. LOL But I would never laugh. These days you just don't know the psyche of other people. Laughing could really affect them in a negative way.
• United States
22 Aug 07
It's so true. Sometimes it's just best to ignore this kind of stuff. When I mess up in public, I just want to crawl into a big hole and cover up. There's no way I want someone pointing it out or making a big deal.
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
24 Aug 07
I do...I try to help them out if I can. AT PEACE WITHIN
• United States
22 Aug 07
I'm definitely an empathizer. I feel so bad for people who embarrass themselves in public. I don't find embarrassment amusing unless the situation is actually funny and the person genuinely laughs about it, then I'll laugh along. I even have a very hard time watching shows where they pull pranks on people, like Punked or Scare Tactics. They just infuriate me and I refuse to watch them. Even the old Candid Camera used to make me angry. I would definitely help the person back onto their feet, I may get told to buttout but I would have to try.
@theprogamer (10534)
• United States
22 Aug 07
Yea I hear you Craftcatcher. Can't stand punked or scare tactics. I'm also one to definitely try to help when someone falls or drops something. I'm usually not told to go away or butt out and even if its a jerk of a person, they'll acknowledge my actions and they even go as far as to udder a faint "thank you" under their breath (for jerks that's about as tolerant as they get so I still count it).
@3lilangels (4639)
• United States
21 Aug 07
well as far as laughing,if they laugh about it then i will.othwise i would not laugh because i have been in this type of situation and its very embarassing,but i did laugh at myself instead of crying because it hurt so bad when i fell.i would definatly help the person out as much as i could.i could never just stand there and do nothing,but there is so many people out there that do.
1 person likes this
21 Aug 07
I usually do feel embarrassed for them and if they have fallen I will make sure they're ok before I go home and laugh myself silly! One time at work there had been a leak in the loft and this guy was trying to prop the ceiling up before it fell but the whole thing just collapsed on his head and a brick hit him smack on top of his head. Because he is a mate and because I knew he was ok I laughed so much I nearly wet myself!
@Shaun72 (15959)
• Palatka, Florida
22 Aug 07
I would feel embarrsed if it was me also. So I wouldn't laugh I mean it could happen to anyone at all.Is how I try to think about it.
@apsara60 (6610)
• Israel
22 Aug 07
It all depends on their attitude, if they make silly mistake and feel sorry for it, then we should not laugh at them but try to help them, but some people act silly and still are not embarssed about it, nor they feel sorry about it because they are over confindent and try to act smart, so such people are cannot be tolerated by society and thus definately becomes a target of laughter in public. Personally, I usually ignore such thing and pretend as if I did not see anything.......after all we all are simple human beings.....tomorrow even we can make such a mistake.
@sophylline (1041)
• Philippines
22 Aug 07
Oh, I still remember this incident in my past. There was this super terror professor/principal in our college (private/catholic). Everyone is annoyed at her. She was an old maid, the kind that always frown and has no sense of humor at all. She was very well known to chase after those ladies (students), who have to hide from her, who smoke in the park right next to the school building. Anyway, one morning, at the school entrance, there were quite e few people(students) nearby. Then she appeared and went through the entrance. As she was walking, she tripped really hard and her head and upper body was about to shoot forward but somehow braced herself. I knew a lot of people saw her because all of a sudden they stopped in their tracks and just looked at one another, trying so hard to stop the laugh because we were supposed to be scared of her. I could still see those faces in my mind controlling their emotions!LOL
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
24 Aug 07
If they were within in my reach, i would try to help them out. I don't like to laugh at others and I surely wouldn't want others laughing at me if it happened to me. However, sometimes kids do laugh and that is ok.
@mummymo (23706)
22 Aug 07
I don't feel embarrassed as much as concerned for them! I would be checking they were ok in an instant and helping in any way I could! I have been there and done that and I believe in treating others the way you would like to be treated! xxx
@Daelin (683)
• Brazil
22 Aug 07
I would never laugh because it is not like the person is doing that on purpose just to make other people laugh. I feel sorry for them but not embarrassed. It is not something shameful to trip. It is something that happens to anyone.
@alfecris (181)
• Philippines
22 Aug 07
well sometimes i laugh but often i keep still and be quiet thinking of what if ill be at their side? well embarrassment is where you would learn and test patience and so as your confidence but too mu ch embarrassment can cause something bad.... well since before ive learn from my mistakes and through those embarrassments ive been through ive learned something from it... but when i think of others embarrassment i don't just laugh because i know how it feels to be humiliated so i would rather be quiet or do something and never give a damn back bite to that person who just got embarrassed.
• Philippines
22 Aug 07
wahahahaah!!! it depends on how/where/when did the person tripped. whether he/she was eating during the fall it would be funny, including the "crumbs-flying-away-everywhere" part, whether the fall became fatal, it wouldn't be funny. But in my case, I both help them out and laugh at them all at the same time. hehe
@ssh123 (31073)
• India
22 Aug 07
I feel one should lend helping hand to others when such a thing happens rather than laugh at them. Our negative actions may cause not only embarrasment, but sometimes hatredness.
@secretbear (19448)
• Philippines
22 Aug 07
before, when I didn't knew any better, when I was stil immatured, i'd laugh at those people who embarrass themselves in a public place and think of them as stupid. ^__^;; now, i'd feel sorry for them especially if I see other people laughing even if the one they're laughing at had hurt himself/herself. but if the person concerned is a friend of mine, i'd laugh my heart out. LOL coz I know they'd forgive me for laughing and they wouldn't mind. ^__^ and they'd do same to me. ^__^;;
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
22 Aug 07
I definately feel embarrassed. I try to help them if I can too. AT PEACE WITHIN
@Nardz13 (5055)
• New Zealand
22 Aug 07
Hi there. I dont think I would feel embarrassed for another person, but I would definetly feel like I should be helping them up if they fell over... No way would I feel amused by another person falling or tripping...
@sandwedge (1339)
• Malaysia
22 Aug 07
in high school i use to laugh at peoples misfortune (3 stooges events). as i get older and experience all the crap of life, i start to sympathize with other. i feel embarrassed too if i see they do something silly.
@DJules (55)
• United States
22 Aug 07
I wouldn't say I feel embarassed, that doesn't feel like the right word. I think the word that another person used would be a bit more on target for me, I empathize with them. I feel compassion, because I know what it feels like to be the one feeling the blush slowly creeping up my cheeks. I always try to smile, be kind, and help (if they have dropped something) so hopefully they will know that we all do stuff like that, and it really isn't that big of a deal.