Most of us feel sad when we see someone upset. That’s empathy, or a close cousin called sympathy. But what about those rare, often private moments when someone’s disappointment, suffering, or pain actually brings us satisfaction or even joy? I’m not talking about sadism—taking pleasure in causing pain—or psychopathy—being indifferent to others’ suffering—but that surprisingly common feeling of finding joy in others’ troubles.
Whether we like it or not—and most don’t—schadenfreude is a widespread, likely universal human emotion. It’s not just a Western or modern thing. The Chinese phrase “xing zai le huo,” with a similar meaning, existed as far back as the 4th century BCE and is still used in Mandarin today. Lucretius wrote in his work On the Nature of Things:
“It is pleasant to watch from the shore as others struggle in the stormy sea.”
Admitting we enjoy others’ misfortune feels awkward and questionable. But feelings and impulses like jealousy, envy, and impulsivity don’t vanish just because we’re not proud of them. Schadenfreude may even have biological, evolutionary roots, since “fitness” is based on relative success. Our fitness rises not only when we succeed, but also when others—especially non-relatives—do worse. So, others’ setbacks might actually benefit us. Maybe that’s why schadenfreude is so common. (No proof, though, that a rabbit does a happy dance when another slips on a banana peel.)
It’s Strongest When Someone ‘Deserves’ It
Schadenfreude hits hardest when someone—maybe a distant public figure—has caused harm or pain. Then their misfortune can feel like poetic justice.
Research shows schadenfreude is inversely linked to self-esteem: confident people feel less threatened by others’ success and less joy in their failures.
More vulnerable or less successful people often feel bolstered by others’ setbacks.
Hell is More Popular Than Heaven
Historically, depictions of hell have often been more popular than those of heaven. Tertullian, a 2nd-century church father, believed believers’ heavenly reward was to eternally watch the damned suffer. Dante’s Inferno remains more popular than his Purgatorio or Paradiso—and that’s no coincidence. Arthur Schopenhauer called schadenfreude humanity’s darkest emotion:
“Envy is human; savoring schadenfreude is devilish.”
Still, schadenfreude is neurologically real. A 2011 fMRI study showed New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox fans’ pleasure centers light up when their rival team fails. Another 2006 study found similar brain activity when participants saw “wrongdoers” punished. Interestingly, men showed stronger reactions. Schadenfreude also fuels physical comedy—think Charlie Chaplin. Classic humor taps into this instinct.
The Opposite: Rejoicing Together
Funerals aren’t just about grief—they often carry unspoken relief that the tragedy didn’t happen to us. But there’s an opposite feeling too. Playfully called “joy joy,” it has a real name in Buddhist tradition: mudita. This is selfless joy in others’ happiness or success. A Western equivalent might be the pride parents feel watching their children thrive. The Yiddish word “nachas” captures this feeling as well.
Now that we’ve brought schadenfreude out of the shadows: what do we do with it? Celebrate it because it’s “natural”? Or be mindful when it surfaces? Because—being human—it will come up sooner or later.
