Two Sides of the Same Coin: Empathy and Schadenfreude

How do you feel when your co-worker doesn’t get that promotion they’ve been harping about at work? When your frenemy tearfully announces that their relationship is over? Or when someone becomes infected by the very deadly disease that they’ve been downplaying for the better part of a year?

If you’ve got conflicting feelings here, you’re not alone. The majority of us are probably wavering between the proverbial angel and devil on the shoulder. Do we showfor their misfortune? Or do we experience the perverse pleasure of schadenfreude? The German word literally means “harm joy” and refers to the act of taking pleasure in another’s misfortune.

Maybe the question we should be asking is, what is the underlying factor that makes us feel one emotion over the other?, the answer might simply boil down to whether you like someone or not. In the study, researchers observed reactions to test subjects engaged in various gambling tasks where they won, lost, or watched strangers play. The results showed that when the gambler was a stranger or someone who was well-liked, then all subjects showed empathy. However, when the player was disliked, subjects with pro-self tendencies were more likely to experience schadenfreude compared with those who were more pro-social who showed more empathy for the player.

That your emotions are shaped by whether you like someone isn’t a phenomenon that only applies to adults. In 2015,

ThisJenKim ill will revealed

ThisJenKim Interesting and not so surprising; I would add that as we grow in a mentally positive way the pleasure in someone’s misfortune whom we do not care for would be felt more as indifference than pleasure;the gravity of the situation should also “dictate” some of those feelings.

ThisJenKim There's a difference btwn teasing and finding joy at the sight of another's suffering. Currently we have too much of the latter, practiced by shallow beings, dismissing any guilt for not caring until they are in pain and require the empathy they can't or won't give to others.

ThisJenKim Coming from an abusive household, I can say for certain that Schadenfreude is never okay.

ThisJenKim I don't feel that way.

ThisJenKim I differ in opinion as it hurts when you are at the receiving end of lack of empathy. That said, my German vocabulary has improved. Schadenfreude sounds like a beautiful word even if doesn't refer to a beautiful emotion.

ThisJenKim I take no pleasure in the Coronavirus death. None at all. That's not normal.

ThisJenKim Check out! I will create 3d logo animation intro video (please check and order now) 3D Logo Animation, Intro & Outro, Gaming Intro, Short Video AD,

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