What is Schadenfreude?
1.
German word, original translation loosely comes out as 'malicious joy'. In English, it's thought of 'malicious enjoyment from the suffering of another'. As there is no succinct English version of the word, English-speaking peoples have approximated this word and use it whenever they see people like corrupt CEOs get dragged off to jail.
Did you see that look on Fastow's face as he was told he couldn't take soap-on-a-rope to the lockup? Man, I felt a warm, comforting sense of schadenfreude in my gut when I saw it...
2.
Watching a vegetarian being told she just ate chicken
Or watching a frat boy realize just what he put his dick in
Being on the elevator when somebody shouts "Hold the door!"
Straight-A students getting Bs
Exes getting STDs
Waking doormen from their naps
Watching tourists reading maps
Football players getting tackled
CEOs getting shackled
Watching actors never reach the ending of their oscar speech!
"Fuck you lady, that's what stairs are for!"
3.
The joy one feels when bad things happen to other people.
or
The act of deriving pleasure from someone else's misfortune.
Orgin = German: Schaden, damage (from Middle High German schade, from Old High German scado) + Freude, joy (from Middle High German vreude, from Old High German frewida, from fr, happy).
An sense of schadenfreude came over me as I watched a Chevy Suburban with a "W" bumpersticker pull into a gas station advertising $3.89 per gallon.
See
4.
Nicky: "Schadenfruede, what's that, some sort of Nazi word?"
Gary Coleman: "Yep, it's German for 'Happiness at the misfortune of others!'"
Nicky: "'Happiness at the misfortune of others', that IS German!"
Gary Coleman: Right now you'r down and out, and feelin' really crappy.
N: I'll say.
Gary Coleman: And when I see how sad you are, it sorta makes me... HAP-PY...!!!
Nicky: HAPPY?!
Gary Coleman: Sorry Nicky, human nature, nothin' I can do. It's Schadenfruede, makin' me feel glad that I'm not you!
Nicky: Well that's not very nice, Gary!
Gary Coleman: I didn't say it was nice, but ev'rybody does it! D'jah ever clap when a waitress falls, and drops a tray of glasses?
Nicky: Yeah.
Gary Coleman: And ain't it fun to watch figure skaters fallin' on their asses?
Nicky: Sure!
Gary Coleman: Don'tcha feel all warm and cozy watching people out in the rain? That's
Both: Schadenfreude!
Gary Coleman: People taking pleasure in your pain!
See
5.
German for "happiness at the misfortune of others"
Clapping when a waitress falls and drops a tray of glasses
Watching figure skaters falling on their asses
Watching people out in the rain
Watching a vegetarian being told she just ate chicken
Watching a frat boy realize just what he put his dick in
Being on an elevator when somebody shouts "Hold the door!"
Straight A students getting Bs
Exes getting STDs
Waking doormen from their naps
Watching tourists reading maps
Football players getting tackled
CEOs getting shackled
Watching actors never reach the ending of their Oscar speech
Schadenfreude: Making me feel glad that I'm not you.
6.
pleasure derived from others' troubles.
although "schadenfreude" seems widely known I've never heard it being used in casual conversation.
Probably it's more the problem of not knowing how to pronounce it. I've heard "skäidenfruhd," for instance :)
See
7.
The joy one feels when bad things happen to other people.
or
The act of deriving pleasure from someone else's misfortune.
Orgin = German: Schaden, damage (from Middle High German schade, from Old High German scado) + Freude, joy (from Middle High German vreude, from Old High German frewida, from fr, happy).
An sense of schadenfreude came over me as I watched a Chevy Suburban with a "W" bumpersticker pull into a gas station advertising $3.89 per gallon.
See
