Ouch

October 10, 2003 5:28 AM

Being snubbed socially provokes exactly the same brain response as being physically hurt, say US researchers.
posted by MintSauce (16 comments total)

Nice post, jerk! Now get lost!
posted by BigPicnic at 5:42 AM on October 10, 2003

That may be, however before everybody unleashes their attack lawyers remember that you still get to avoid the physical responses that come along with the boot being applied to flesh.
posted by substrate at 6:07 AM on October 10, 2003

However, after a while, the two computer controlled characters started throwing the ball only to each other, apparently excluding the test subject from the game.

"this is our ball, n00b! ur gay. lol!!! "
posted by tittergrrl at 6:24 AM on October 10, 2003

So, we could have just dissed Saddam Hussein?
posted by stonerose at 6:36 AM on October 10, 2003

What were we supposed to use? Harsh language?
posted by ao4047 at 6:42 AM on October 10, 2003

"Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time."
posted by Shane at 7:57 AM on October 10, 2003

As someone to whom nobody wanted to throw the ball in compulsory high school phys ed softball, I can verify that this is, indeed, true. (But I was great at swimming, tennis, archery, golf, and - later, because they didn't offer this as a high school course - billiards. Therefore, I'm very interested in future findings on the area of the brain related to self-absorbed wankers.)

And, Shane, I would say that being taunted still represents a fairly robust relationship to the social network - it's being completely ignored that starts tickling the pain centers. Just ask Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon.
posted by taz at 8:22 AM on October 10, 2003

>As someone to whom nobody wanted to throw the ball in
>compulsory high school phys ed softball, I can verify that
>this is, indeed, true.

Agree - my crowning achievement that finally exempted me from compulsory phys ed was - softball, where I was forced to bat - our teacher was pitching - and getting angrier every time I missed. Finally I just swung with all my 99lb weakling fury - boom bat & ball finally connected - it flew straight and true - the teacher was doubled over in agony* - class was cancelled and I never had to participate in phys ed again...

(* really shoulda worn a cup)
posted by jkaczor at 8:29 AM on October 10, 2003

As another data point, look at Dave Winer's outburst this morning. I know the link goes to my blog, but he's already done a Dave and removed the offending language.
posted by bbrown at 8:36 AM on October 10, 2003

You play golf?!
*snubs Taz*

- boom bat & ball finally connected - it flew straight and true - the teacher was doubled over in agony

I'm confused, jkaczor --did you nail the teacher with the ball and the bat ;-)

What were we supposed to use? Harsh language?

Just. Say. Nee!
posted by Shane at 8:53 AM on October 10, 2003

Oh, no! Don't snub me! I don't play golf! But in my pretty advanced high school, we were offered a variety of selective physical education options, and some that were not selective - I basically chose non-team sports whenever I could, and suffered through the team sports that I was required to participate in.

I think that I could probably do better at team sports now, but at that time, because I was painfully self-conscious (again the self-absorbed wanker stuff) and always the "new girl", I never had a posse to back me up. But don't cry for me, mefi - my final years of high school were an amazing triumph, for reasons that I can't possibly comprehend... except that my parents decided that it was finally okay for me to wear contact lenses instead of glasses, and it happened that one of our many moves coincided with this changeover, and suddenly I became "the "attractive new girl" instead of the "geeky new girl".
posted by taz at 9:23 AM on October 10, 2003

Now do you see how y'all made me feel when you didn't comment on my stories??!!!???

Yufuknbastadfuknkuntfukn..... <<sob>>
posted by Blue Stone at 9:35 AM on October 10, 2003

jkaczor - good on ya!

Blue Stone - Very few can compete with the number of nonexistent comments that I get on most of my posts. I just consider the whole non-response-to-whatever-I-post thing as being the pain I pay to be a member.
posted by taz at 9:51 AM on October 10, 2003

>I'm confused, jkaczor --did you nail the teacher with the
>ball and the bat ;-)

Given my lack of any sense of coordination or dexiterity - that was a distinct possibility (envisions bat flying out of hands, following said ball on its' trajectory)...

Naw - just the ball.
posted by jkaczor at 11:52 AM on October 10, 2003

There's an extent to which it depends, of course. The last time I was flat out snubbed, it made me laugh. At some Halloween party, and I said "hey" to some guy wearing a BK crown, a cape, and a sock monkey around his neck. He sniffed haughtily and turned around, and I just lost it.

But then I guess alcohol dulls the pain response, so who knows?
posted by kavasa at 12:03 PM on October 10, 2003

Ah, so they aren't just kidding about that broken heart thing... (As anyone who has ever had one can attest.)
posted by jokeefe at 1:08 PM on October 10, 2003