Every once in a while, the English language just doesn’t cut it. And when that happens, we Americans have to borrow a word from another country. Mostly because that word describes things perfectly.
And so comes one very interesting word. Schadenfreude. It is that German mashup of Schaden (“damage”) and Freude (“joy”).
And when you put them together, you get this. When a person finds joy in someone else’s misfortune.
Now, before you go clutching your pearls, let’s consider things. I mean, sure, it does sound a little mean. But let’s be honest. We’ve all probably been there.
Think of the time an overly smug acquaintance says something that is totally false, and someone calls them out on it, proving outright that they were wrong.
Or when a certain politician trips down the steps of Air Force One and his comb over goes flying.
That little burst of satisfaction we feel? Well, yep. That’s schadenfreude.
The word first popped up in English in the 1860s. But the emotion probably dates back to our earliest ancestors. When Org laughed when the flying birdosaurus dropped poop on Nohg’s head.
And today, social media practically runs on schadenfreude. There are millions of viral fail videos out there. All the time.
It is not very noble. And definitely not the kindest thing in the world. But it is a human emotion. Some psychologists even argue that schadenfreude helps us deal with envy. Or that it somehow levels the playing field in our heads.
Researchers say schadenfreude often pops up when there’s envy, rivalry, or resentment involved.
Some studies break it down into subtypes. And here they are:
• aggressive schadenfreude (enjoying a rival’s downfall)
• rivalry schadenfreude (sports fans when the other team loses)
• justice schadenfreude (when someone “gets what they deserve”).
In the end, schadenfreude reminds us that we’re all gloriously human. We all trip. We all fall and fail. But sometimes it brings us a little satisfaction when it happens to the biggest of the jerks.
In the end, a little humility, a little humor, and maybe we’re all in on the same cosmic joke.
So yes, schadenfreude might just be mischievous.
But we should always remember to stay on the side of goodness whenever we can. Kindness is always better.
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“The more I learn about people, the more I like my dog.” — Mark Twain
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“Life would be tragic if it weren’t funny.” — Stephen Hawking
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“A good laugh is sunshine in the house.” — William Makepeace Thackeray
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“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” — Oscar Wilde
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