Schadenfreude
Schadenfreude
Schadenfreude (/ˈʃɑːdənfrɔɪdə/; German: [ˈʃaːdn̩ˌfʁɔʏ̯də] (listen); lit. 'harm-joy') is a complex emotion where one takes joy in the suffering of others.
Etymology
The term Schadenfreude is borrowed from German. It is a compound of Schaden, meaning "harm" or "damage", and Freude, meaning "joy". The German word was first mentioned in English texts in 1852 and 1867, and first used in English running text in 1895.
Definition
In psychology, Schadenfreude is the pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune. It is a complex emotion, where rather than feeling sympathy, one takes pleasure from watching someone's misfortune. This emotion is displayed more in children than adults. However, adults also experience Schadenfreude, though generally concealed.
Related Terms
- Envy: A feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions, qualities, or luck.
- Malicious joy: A similar concept to Schadenfreude, where one experiences joy at the misfortune of others.
- Epicaricacy: An English language equivalent derived from ancient Greek, meaning to rejoice at the misfortune of others.
- Sadism: The tendency to derive pleasure, especially sexual gratification, from inflicting pain, suffering, or humiliation on others.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Schadenfreude
- Wikipedia's article - Schadenfreude
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