| Schadenfreude adds to your daily stress | | | | about those words and I really didn't know why she |
| Do you have all the support you need from friends, | | | | even mentioned that lesson to me. I figured this |
| associates, and loved ones? | | | | lesson must be important or she would not have |
| I am going out on a limb here and say, I will bet you | | | | made such a point to tell me just before I was |
| do not have all the support you need from friends, | | | | getting on my school bus. |
| associates and loved ones. On the surface, people will | | | | Once I arrived at Dundee Junior High School, I |
| talk about all the support they are getting from | | | | reported to Mr. Zange's PE class. Once dressed, I |
| others; however in most cases this is just not true. | | | | went outside and Mr. Zange led us out to the track |
| One major reason is a concept called schadenfreude. | | | | located around the football field. He told us to form a |
| What is schadenfreude? | | | | line and I lined up first. Behind me was my friend, |
| Schadenfreude is a German word meaning "pleasure | | | | "Bob." Now Bob really is not his real name as I do not |
| taken from someone else's misfortune." It derives | | | | risk hurting his feelings as he is still alive. |
| from schaden, meaning "damage or harm," and | | | | Mr. Zange gave a quick demonstration on how to |
| freude meaning "joy." | | | | jump over the low hurdles. He asked me if I was |
| From I found some interesting facts about | | | | ready to try it first and I thought it looked pretty |
| Schadenfreude. | | | | easy so I said, "yes." |
| The concept of schadenfreude is not uniquely | | | | Behind me, Bob was laughing, saying I would never |
| German, however. Almost every language in Europe | | | | be able to jump the low hurdle. |
| has a word with the same meaning. There are even | | | | I ran and jumped and knocked over the hurdle. Bob |
| words that have the same meaning in Greek and | | | | was laughing so hard he was doubled over in |
| Arabic. "Som nam na, can be translated as "I am | | | | hysterics. (Or schadenfreude as I will call it now) |
| laughing at your bad luck," in the native Thai language. | | | | I was embarrassed but I returned to the end of the |
| Go so ha da, in Korean translates as one who is | | | | line to get ready for a second try. |
| pleased about an event involving the misfortune of | | | | Now it was Bob's turn to jump the hurdle. |
| another. | | | | At that moment I wanted to begin laughing. After all, |
| Schadenfreude had been mentioned on the following | | | | I was 11 years old and that is what 11 year olds do. I |
| television shows and movies: | | | | should laugh at the expense of others, experience |
| Boston Legal, Sarah Silverman, Gigli, the Colbert | | | | joy or pleasure from the misfortune of others. I |
| Report, Two and a Half Men, and Dodgeball: A True | | | | could feel my endorphins beginning to kick in. |
| Underdog Story. | | | | Just as I began to laugh at Bob, I remembered what |
| On Boston Legal, one of the characters, Alan Shore, | | | | my Mother said to me on the way to school. She |
| talked of an experiment that demonstrated that the | | | | said, "Wayne, never laugh at someone else's |
| pleasure centers of the brain are stimulated while | | | | mistake." "It is very unkind to make fun of people |
| experiencing schadenfreude. Endorphins kick in and | | | | when they fail at something." "By laughing at |
| people feel good, at least temporarily. | | | | someone else's mistake, you will end up making the |
| Why do people gossip? Because it makes them feel | | | | same mistake." "It all evens out in the end." |
| good! | | | | Now I actually had a frown on my face as Bob made |
| Think about all of the reality shows on television. | | | | his attempt over the low hurdle. Bob not only tripped |
| What keeps us entertained up until to the last two | | | | over the hurdle but he fell so hard he broke his arm. |
| people competing? When you are watching America's | | | | His arm ended up being the most hideous thing I |
| funniest videos, do you ever notice much of the | | | | ever saw either before or since. |
| humor is about people are falling off of horses or off | | | | It was a compound fracture and his arm looked like |
| of roof tops or other things that can create physical | | | | the letter "Z." |
| harm? | | | | Mr. Zange, quickly came to Bob's aid and carried him |
| I love to watch Adam Sandler's movies and the | | | | to the nurses office while they waited for an |
| movies made starring some of his buddies. But have | | | | ambulance to take Bob to the emergency room. |
| you ever noticed that there is always someone | | | | I learned a lesson from my Mother about not |
| getting thrown to the ground, punched, or beat up in | | | | practicing "schadenfreude." It was a lesson well |
| some way in those movies? Yet they are funny to | | | | learned as Bob had a severe consequence as a result |
| me and many other people. | | | | of the accident at school. |
| People respond to these movies because of the | | | | In society, we value being fair to others and we are |
| concept of Schadenfreude. | | | | told to support one another. |
| In almost any comedy today you see produced for | | | | My belief system became one of not saying things to |
| television or the movies you will experience taking | | | | hurt another person, however I have said things both |
| joy in the misfortune of others. | | | | before and after this incident that have hurt other |
| Where does stress fit into the concept of | | | | people. I have experienced schadenfreude, and |
| schadenfreude? | | | | thanks to my Mother, the stress associated with |
| Stress, sometimes called "core stress" begins when | | | | conflicts between my beliefs and my actions. |
| your actions and your fundamental belief systems | | | | Schadenfreude Stress Annihilation Exercise: |
| are in conflict. | | | | Think about situations in your relationships where |
| For example: Your best friend asks you to take illegal | | | | what you believe in differs from your actions? In |
| drugs. Let us assume that your fundamental belief | | | | what situations in your job do you experience |
| system is such that you would never take illegal | | | | "schadenfreude?" What television programs do you |
| drugs. However, this is your best friend, and you | | | | find examples of "schadenfreude?" |
| want to please your best friend. Whether you take | | | | Do you understand how your stress can be elevated |
| the drugs or walk away from your friend, you will be | | | | by actively participating in the situations involving |
| experiencing stress, as your actions and belief | | | | schadenfreude?" Think about things you can do this |
| systems came in conflict at the first insistence that | | | | week to lessen the effects of schadenfreude and |
| you take drugs by your best friend. | | | | the stress associated with your conflict of beliefs and |
| Back in 1959, I was entering the 7th grade. In | | | | actions. |
| October of 1959, our physical education teacher, Mr. | | | | 1. What can you eliminate or avoid in regards to |
| Zange, began class on the track located on Spain | | | | schadenfreude in your personal relationships? |
| Field, outside of our junior high school. | | | | 2. What schadenfreude activities can you eliminate on |
| Mr. Zange had set up low hurdles as his lesson for | | | | your job? |
| the day was to teach us how to run the hurdles. | | | | 3. What actions will you take in regards to watching |
| At the same time he was setting up for class, I was | | | | television programs and movies? |
| just about ready to leave my house for school when | | | | If you are aware of schadenfreude, you can |
| my Mother cornered me and gave me a quick lesson | | | | annihilate stress associated with this phenomenon. |
| to take with me to school. | | | | Summary: |
| She said, "Wayne, never laugh at someone else's | | | | Schadenfreude or taking joy from the misfortune of |
| mistake." "It is very unkind to make fun of people | | | | others is common in many areas of your life. It sets |
| when they fail at something." "By laughing at | | | | you up for core stress because it creates conflict |
| someone else's mistake, you will end up making the | | | | between your fundamental belief system and your |
| same mistake." "It all evens out in the end." | | | | actions. Reducing schadenfreude in your life will help |
| As I got on the school bus that morning I thought | | | | you annihilate stress and propagate hope. |