What gives with people wanting to tell their deepest, darkest secrets to anyone who will listen?

Question

And is this not a prevalent thing in American society these days?

Answer 1

Glen Fry said it best in his scathing song "Get Over It"...

I turn on the tube and see a whole lot of people crying whoa is me...

We all like attention.  Some are just more willing to share intimate details to attract attention than others.

Answer 2

Some people feel a need to express themselves. Actually, all humans do to a certain extent. We all want somebody to "know us" or to "get us". Therefore, we want to express to one or two individuals our darkest secret. I wouldn't say ALL people feel a need to do that, but many people do. It builds a connection and/or trust between two people.

Answer 3

may be, they just need a friend to listen to them,

Answer 4

psychological voyeuristic fetish intensified by the need to receive attention and be the center of the world as we perceive it... we all have it to an extent even if some aren't deep enough to see it or open enough to admit it. the closer we get to someone the more we can see ourself. we all need attention but to much is unhealthy...

Answer 5

Maybe once the deep, dark secret is told, it creates a sort of mini-catharsis, and the thing that seemed once so bad, so buried and awful, then becomes just another thing that is exposed to the light of day and thus de-mythologized or its metaphorical teeth removed. Just a speculation...personally, I tell deep, dark secrets only if they illustrate a point when nothing else will do. And even then, I tend to hint around, since it isn't the secret that is important; it is the point I am trying to make that is.

Cheers and Namaste!

Answer 6

I think they do it for attention and so you will feel sorry for them. They don't realize how embarrassing it is for the listener. They are sad people if that is the only way they get noticed.

No, I don't think it is prevalent in American Society except on some of the daytime talk shows. And I don't know where they dig up these people. They could be paid actors for all we know.