Schadenfreude - Do You Have A Touch of It?

SeaBreeze

SeaBreeze

Endlessly Groovin'
Location
USA
Schadenfreude is getting pleasure or joy from watching the misfortune or failure of others. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schadenfreude

On the way home from the park, I saw a gal on cross country skis, take a topple backwards in the snow. She had a guy friend behind her. She got up right away, and was obviously not injured. Well, I giggled because it was amusing to watch. She started leaning back, leaning back more, and just when I thought she would right herself, she fell. My hubby didn't see it, but the only word he said to me was 'Schadenfreude'. :p

I took a header myself walking through that area awhile back, after it happened we were both laughing about it, because after stepping on an unsteady rock, I hopped around and did my best not to fall...well, it didn't work. I did get scraped up and bruised, but nothing serious. Hubby said if he caught that on video, it would go viral. We don't do any videos, but that is the latest rage.

We also watch some shows like Tosh.O on cable TV, which is irreverent humor, and they often show video clips of people recording themselves doing dangerous things, and often they get hurt in the process. A few are not funny, but some you just have to laugh at.

I am a very considerate person, and I don't wish anyone harm, or delight in anyone failing or having some kind of misfortune...unless maybe a failed politician who I wanted to lose anyway. :playful:

Do you have a touch of Schadenfreude?? :topsy_turvy:
 

I do when certain politicians get their come uppance. Not physical injury mind but the equivalence of a political pratfall.
I celebrate every piece of bad press that comes our current PM's way because he has been such a bastard to women, especially our first female PM. It will be a long time before I think he has had enough. Then I will forgive and forget.
 
I'm like any other human - I derive pleasure from the misfortunes of certain people.

But I refuse to fuel that condition by watching those witless TV shows. I see it this way - if you're going about your regular day and something happens, that may or may not be funny to an observer.

But to purposely put yourself into situations where the probably outcome is failure, well then that's not funny at all - it's pathos. And that is what these shows exist on. Even the ones that are supposedly real-life and impromptu are, I am convinced, planned ahead of time. I don't believe in coincidence, and that's what it would take for someone to be recording at that very moment and in that very place when the "accident" occurs.

Slapstick done by professionals is entertaining. When done by amateurs it's merely annoying.
 
True story...many years ago we had bought a cat. I got a lot of various toys for him to keep him happy and occupied in the home. I bought this small punching bag type of toy, that sticks to the wall with a rubber suction cup. Well, one morning my husband found me on my hands and knees, scrubbing the rug with a spray type rug cleaner. I complained to him that I didn't know where this new stain came from.

Next day, after vacuuming the rug, I started whining about not being able to get the stain off the carpet. I grabbed the can of rug cleaner and went through all the cleaning/scrubbing motions again. Hubby got that $hit eatin' grin on his face, and started cracking up. I became angry, and asked him what was so funny. He pointed out that the new cat toy was just casting a shadow on the rug, and there wasn't a stain there at all, but he chose not to tell me that the day before...schadenfreude. :eek:
 
I certainly have taken a few headers myself - two recent ones: I was carrying one of my dogs into the vet's office after she was bit by a rattler - she weighs almost 50 lbs. I didn't see the cement parking bumper next to my vehicle - I tripped over it and did a flip flop - thankfully my dog was not any worse for wear (and she's fine today) - the second one was on a bicycle with the same dog towing me - she saw another dog and jerked the bicycle - I locked the brake causing it to flip over hurling me in front of it right in front of a group of people -
- and noooooo I don't wish that on anyone! I sure laugh at my own 'Darwin' awards and others' too, but to say I gain pleasure from others's misfortune..... never !

- oh, except maybe that politician :)
 
Glad she's okay after that rattlesnake bite JR. My dog was bit once and I had to rush him to the emergency vets, they gave him anti-venom and put him on IVs...kept him overnight. That was one expensive snake bite, but happy he recovered. Hope you're doing okay after your spill too! :)
 
I wonder about the seemingly increasing number of people these days that, when confronted with an accident, whip out their cell phones and record it instead of offering assistance. It seems to show a radical shift in humanity, an ugly one at that ...
 
They're either afraid of being sued, or they need something new to post on their facebook wall. :rolleyes:
 
SeaBreeze said:
They're either afraid of being sued, or they need something new to post on their facebook wall. :rolleyes:
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I just find it hard to believe that they've become so inured against human suffering that, legal fears and social media concerns included, they could be willing spectators instead of active rescuers.

Meh ... I guess I shouldn't be surprised; I've seen a variation of this for most of my life in the self-defense field - people getting mugged and others just standing there and gawking.
 
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I never watch those shows about "funniest home videos". I just don't find them funny but I have laughed uncontrollably at some spills and falls unless someone is hurt or appears to be. Ive laughed at a few of my own falls as well.
 
I was 11 years old and my entire family and a bunch of friends were on a picnic in a state park. It was the Fourth of July so the park was packed to the gills, and we were having a grand old time eating and playing games.

My specialty was Frisbee, and I wanted to show off the new trick I had invented for catching the disc in a spectacular leaping, spinning move. I was bugging everyone within earshot to "Watch this! Watch this! Watch this!" until they got so sick and tired of hearing it that they put down their watermelons and their hot dogs and put their full attention on me.

Pumped by my soon-to-be fame I had my friend toss the disc high over my head, so high in fact that it went behind me. I turned and began chasing it, timing it just so, so that my aerial acrobatics could be fully appreciated.

I got a strong running start and pushed off from my right leg, which had just that second decided to land in a huge pile of doggie poo.

Witnesses later told the paramedics that I had been perfectly horizontal six feet in the air for at least 3 seconds.

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The laughter rolled through the park like thunder and I wanted nothing more than to crawl under the picnic table and stay there for a couple of years.
 
I suppose I've been the giver of Schadenfreude to others a time or two.

Being a young, naive, trusting young pup my uncle told me to stick my finger in the bulb socket on a lamp knowing full well that it was hot and of course I got shocked.....he laughed like hell and I ran screaming like a banchee.

Still being about the same age my dad told me to stick my hand down in a fence post hole and grab the HUGE crawdad that had fallen down there, I did and the sucker latched onto my finger hard......he also laughed like hell and I again ran screaming like a banchee only this time I had a crawdad attached to my finger.

Y'all go ahead and laff, I know you want to.
 
I agree Janice. Some of those videos are filled with the dumbest people on earth.

What a waste of cyberspace.

The only thing funny on FHO is the Em Cee. He's a riot and does such a good job. Talk about facial expressions !
 
I do NOT find the misfortunes of others amusing, in the least. I loathe those shows that show people slipping and falling, while the audience brays like so many jackasses!
 
treeguy64 said:
I do NOT find the misfortunes of others amusing, in the least. I loathe those shows that show people slipping and falling, while the audience brays like so many jackasses!
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I couldn't agree more. My wife (RIP) and I used to discuss this an we both agreed with your position...it ain't funny!!
 
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