The Joy of Pain: Schadenfreude and the Dark Side of Human Nature

This book explores the causes and manifestations of the negative but common human emotion labeled schadenfreude, a word borrowed from German that can be rendered literally in English as damage-joy or fail-joy. Simply understood, schadenfreude is experienced as delight in the misfortunes of others. Author Smith (psychology, Univ. of Kentucky; Envy: Theory and Research) describes how the concept is related to a continuum of social emotions from simple envy to malice and revenge. The unique character of the concept may lie in its positive roots—a sense of justice and deservingness. The author reviews research on social comparison theory that explains how individuals and groups benefit from schadenfreude. He dissects exemplary cases that have widely evoked the emotion, including Martha Stewart's imprisonment, Bernie Madoff's capture, and Tiger Woods's downfall. He also analyzes its much more tragic contribution to the Holocaust. Finally, the author suggests how empathy can function as a powerful antidote to this dark but natural sentiment. Research findings are conveyed in a readable manner and insightfully applied to contemporary social phenomena like the popularity of reality TV, tabloid fodder, and sports fanaticism. Notes accompany the text.