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Old 04-14-2007, 06:09 PM   #1
devonin
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Default Schadenfreude

Schadenfreude is a german word that means, basically, "Taking joy in the misfortunes of others" We see Schadenfreude all the time in our culture.

Whole TV shows dedicated to showing viewers home movies of which the vast majority involve accidents, mishaps or injuries, set to goofy music and called "funniest" home videos.

Disturbingly well-selling tabloid magazines exposing, inventing and creating scandals.

What is it about the misfortune of other people that we as humans find so interesting? Does it stem from relief that it isn't us suffering the misfortune? Are we somehow just creatures of vice who take joy in watching others suffer? Do you think, instead, that schadenfruede is only found in the morally bankrupt and you've never taken joy in someone else's misfortune?

It's always been a concept of interest to me, and I'm curious to hear what others think about it.
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Old 04-15-2007, 08:15 PM   #2
Kilroy_x
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Default Re: Schadenfreude

It's at least partially a way of trivializing the sensation of pain which can often be overwhelming. We can do it so easily when we see others in pain because we don't have to experience it, yet despite this detachment there is the sense that we're somehow personally more clever, intelligent than the people we witness in pain, even though the circumstances of the event might have been beyond our control as well. At least this is the case on America's funniest home videos. It's the same principle at work in the Darwin Awards.

Basically, sympathy takes us to the point of identifying with the person being injured, but not with actually sharing in their pain. Instead we dissassociate from the pain, perhaps even at the same time as we dissassociate from the person, and the result is humor in a bizzare reflex that can perhaps be said to be rooted in self-preservation.

Well, maybe sometimes the horse actually does go before the cart, but this is all just conjecture on my part anyways.
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Old 04-15-2007, 08:23 PM   #3
Xandertrax
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Default Re: Schadenfreude

Avenue Q FTW.

I feel like we take pleasure in pain because it is a stress reliever. One excellent way to exert stress is by simply causing violence, exerting energy from the body. Therefore, it is engrained into our mind that violence = stress relief.

Therefore, whenever we watch other people take pain, our subconcious is reliving stress.

That is my opinion.
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