Schadenfreude

 

Schadenfreude - Link to podcast

Schadenfreude is a German word used to describe the pleasure derived from another person’s mishap or misfortune.  It’s how I feel about cats; both the feline variety and the Geelong football club variety.

 

I’m not a cat person.  I once had a little kitten when I was a child and it scratched me and my arm swelled up and it made my eyes water.  So not only am I allergic to cats, but I find them to be sly and selfish sort of creatures.   I therefore never hold them or enjoy having them around.

 

The other night I was at a friend’s place for dinner and their cat was walking behind the TV and managed to fall head first down the gap between the TV cabinet and the wall and was stuck there with its back legs wedged between the cabinet and the wall.  So there was this tail and hind legs flapping about madly and instinctively I jumped up out of my chair to get a better view and said can we just leave it there for a while…. I was joking of course, well mostly.

 

I laugh heartily at the fail compilations we get on YouTube where people do things like fall spectacularly off a bike or slip on some ice or when a girl in a bikini poses all glamorous at a beach and gets smashed over by a massive wave.  The movie Home Alone is all about us laughing to the point of being unable to breath at the excruciating suffering of the baddies at the hands of a small vindictive child. 

 

There is a word for this behavior.

 

Schadenfreude (Shar den froy der) which is a German word to describe the pleasure derived from another person’s mishap or misfortune.

 

When we become aware of the suffering or humiliation of someone and feel secretly happy about it, somehow gaining pleasure about them getting their comeuppance, it is a fairly sure thing that we do not love and care about this person.  It can be quite narcissistic and when we stop and think about it, down right cruel.

 

But when we truly love someone and care about them, we are upset when they fail or are hurting and take no pleasure in their suffering and troubles.  I know for me there are people in my life who are doing it tough at the moment and the last thing on my mind is a sense of superiority or smugness that they are struggling.  I genuinely feel for them and long for the suffering to be eased or to resolve well.

 

Today’s love theme is from verse 6 of first Corinthians 13 -  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.   The truth is that good people experience hardship and make mistakes and my friends and family who are flawed human beings just like me are just as valid recipients of love grace and a second chance as anyone. 

 

True friends are safe people to share failure and disappointment with, as they embrace and support us in our failures and struggles; they genuinely speak words of encouragement into our lives and remind us of our many successes.  They spur us on to try again and not give up.

 

As I reflect, I have a bad attitude towards cats, both the sly, hay fever inducing feline creatures slinking around the house and the players and supporters of the Geelong footy club, and my pleasure at their misfortune is nothing to be proud of and I am working towards improving this attitude, but it’s a very slow and challenging journey, and I’m only moderately committed to the task. 

 

Pray for me. 

 

Bless ya,