Schadenfreude, the Joy of Another Person’s Misfortune

Schadenfreude happens when someone derives happiness from the misfortunes of others. As Napoleon used to say, “Envy is a declaration of inferiority”. However, it’s also possible to rejoice if the one to whom the difficulties come has hurt you in the past or you simply dislike them for any reason. So what is it: inferiority or envy? Neither, according to science. It’s simply a complex emotion where one derives pleasure from watching someone’s misfortune instead of feeling sympathy. Moreover, it’s “normal” and “natural” to feel some joy when bad things happen to others to some extent. In fact, that’s exactly…