Schadenfreude: joy at the evil of others

Napoleon I said that “envy is a declaration of inferiority.” However, if the person experiencing difficulties is someone who has hurt you or simply dislikes you, you may be happy. Is it inferiority or envy? No, according to science, is schadenfreude.

It’s more, It is to a certain extent “normal and natural” to feel some joy in the face of certain misfortunes of others.. In fact, that is exactly what this German word that defines this curious sensation that concerns us today means. Let’s find out more about her.

What is Schadenfreude?

As we have said, this German term is a word composed of two that, together, mean joy at the damage (harm=schaden and joy=freude). But is this feeling normal and positive?

The truth is that its connotations can sound like malice, envy or inferiority. However, It does not necessarily denote evil or bad intentions on the part of the person who feels it.. In fact, if evil happens to a person who is not liked or behaved badly towards oneself, the sensation would be related to a feeling of restoration of the natural order, returning in some way to balance.

On the other hand, We are talking about a reaction that we could label as natural. It is because our body secretes dopamine, the neurotransmitter that is related to reward and pleasure. So seeing “someone unpleasant” ‘suffer’ has this ‘prize’ for us.

However, the psychologist and researcher Agustín Ibáñez, from the Neuroscience Center of the Adolfo Ibáñez University, considers this sensation as part of moral human emotions. That is, it would be related to social comparison with others and the assessment we make of others. In this, Schadenfreude differs from fear, for example, or sadness or joy.

Why does Schadenfreude occur?

Continuing along this line, There are particular reasons why this certain well-being occurs when faced with the evil of others. As we are going to see, there is nothing negative about it, as long as it remains in that natural reaction to these situations and there is no direct participation in the perpetuation of this evil.

Relief

These situations give us some relief. That is to say, If evil happens to someone else, it means it doesn’t happen to us..

So, even if something happens to an unknown person, like someone tripping or water falling from a balcony, we know that it could have been us and it is not us. In fact, it is possible that we not only feel relief, we may even laugh if we find something funny about what happened.

Envy

Unfortunately, not only relief is one of the reasons for this temporary well-being. Also envy, especially in people who are envious by nature, is one of the reasons.

Thus, the fact that someone does not have a resource that they need and that when they ask for it from another person, who does have it – or who thinks they do -, their request fails, can be more than enough reason for them to feel good for the evil of others. On the other hand, in relation to envy there could also be the situation of ‘I don’t have it, but neither does the other person’, for example. In this way, the lack in the other would alleviate the feeling of inferiority.

Low selfsteem

Also low self-esteem can motivate the appearance of this phenomenon. In fact, various investigations clarify that this situation of seeing other people’s evil that does not concern one can help one gain self-confidence.

However, it could also serve as an incentive to lose confidence, since they only realize that others are just as unfortunate as them. That is, it helps them to assert themselves in their situation, although for a moment they feel a certain relief at not feeling unique in their misfortune.

Revenge

Revenge could not be missed. When someone does us wrong, if something negative happens to them later, we can feel that they have received their just punishment.almost as if it were divine justice.

This fact can occur in different contexts. That is to say, it could occur in something everyday between friends, co-workers and even family members who are not entirely on good terms, but also in more traumatic situations, even criminal ones. Have you ever felt Schadenfreude? Are you happy about the bad things of other people who don’t love you or don’t like you? If so, you already know that it is normal, that you are not a monster for doing it or a worse person. It is a natural emotion, so, as with all emotions, we listen to what it wants to tell us and regulate it so that its energy does not take control of what we do or think.

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