Schadenfreude

Thanks, Scott Adams, for a new word for my vocabulary. In one of his recent Dilbert cartoons, he used the word, "schadenfreude". I had to look it up.

The dictionary defines the word as "Pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others." It is a compound German word: schaden, meaning "damage" and freude, meaning "joy". It is always intended as a negative concept; we shouldn't take joy in other people's misfortunes.

But ... you know we do.

We delight in practical jokes. Shows like America's Funniest Videos and Jerry Springer are predicated on it. It seems to be a primary motivator in most people. I remember in Basic Training in the Air Force after weeks of humiliation and abuse hearing several of my flight members discussing how they hated this and couldn't wait to get out of Basic Training ... so they could come back as Instructors and torment others. Schadenfreude.

I wonder how much of our time is involved in schadenfreude. We certainly take joy when the bad guy loses. Maybe that's not so bad. But how many of us don't laugh at the Three Stooges as they pummel each other into stupidity? That's not so good.

What do you suppose motivates us to take joy in others' misfortune? I don't know, but I'm guessing it's not due to our higher character.