Schadenfreude, a German compound word meaning “joy in harm,” is often the basis of humor and entertainment. It can have negative connotations, but is also a form of perverse justice and karmic revenge. However, it can also reinforce prejudices when applied to broader social problems.
There are some German words and phrases used in the English language to help define the indefinable. We can refer to the zeitgeist of a popular film, or the sturm und drang surrounding a boisterous topic. Schadenfreude is another evocative German compound word that literally translates to “joy in harm,” or the secret pleasure one can derive from another person’s suffering. There is rarely a positive connotation to schadenfreude, although it is often the basis of humor in physical comedy and politically incorrect jokes.
Some sources say that the word schadenfreude only entered the English language around 1895. Even the Germans who coined the word originally had to combine two separate ideas, schaden (harm) and freude (joy), to express the idea of guilty pleasure derived from observing others in distress. Native Germans often separate the idea of a secret feeling of schadenfreude from a more public display of an inappropriate emotion. In essence, one might derive secret pleasure, or schadenfreude, from seeing a rival embarrass himself in front of his boss.
While the connotations of schadenfreude are almost universally negative, it forms the basis of much of our humor. Without some sense of schadenfreude, farcical comedies featuring the Keystone Cops or Charlie Chaplin wouldn’t be nearly as entertaining for audiences. Many of us instinctively laugh at the misfortunes of others, especially if those characters have been portrayed as treacherous, arrogant, condescending, or evil. There is a certain level of satisfaction in seeing a sympathetic character like Chaplin’s tramp take revenge on his tormentors. That internal feeling of satisfaction as we watch others get their comeuppance is a form of schadenfreude.
Schadenfreude often has an undertone of perverse justice, especially when we perceive the punishment or suffering as deserved by the offence. Basically, if we believe that the victim has taken it, it is more acceptable to feel a secret joy in their suffering, or to see it as a form of karmic revenge. However, Schadenfreude can take on a very sinister meaning when applied to broader social problems. Many racial, social, or religious prejudices are reinforced by feelings of schadenfreude.
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