The Massacre

Schadenfreude

The word of the day is Schadenfreude. Schadenfreude, schadenfreude and more schadenfreude. It means to take spiteful malicious delight in the misforutne of others. We used to dismiss this as simply an ugly side of human nature but it is much, much more than that. Recently a Stanford professor actually captured schadenfreude on a brain scan imagery. It's a physiological, medical phenomenon. When we see others fall, wither and oppressed in pain, it sometimes causes a chemical to be released in the dorsal striatum of the brain which actually causes us to feel demonic pleasure.

When Paris Hilton rammed her pathetic self into jail for drink driving, we exhibited such flagarant festivity. When Britney lost parental custody of both her kids, boy oh boy, the undeniable delicious joy the media expressed over Britney's plight. When Janet Jackson slipped out a boobie during the Superbowl on a Sunday afternoon, we mocked and ridiculed. Apparently we found it extremely gratifying. Not ashamed for the woman, oh no, we simply kept on rewinding the tape.

Well, i certainly did. If (...you know who you are...) happens to fall into an open sewer tomorrow and loses a leg, being my uncharacteristic, diabolical self, I'd love it. Schadenfreude is the most genuine kind of joy, since it doesn't include even a drop of envy. Sins can be such fun. Of the seven supposedly deadly ones, only envy does not give the sinner at least momentary pleasure. Schadenfreude however is almost the national pastime.

So the next time someone has a wardrobe malfunction in the middle of a religious performance, go on and let out a sharp, shameless cackle. It's not about empathy or human malevolence It's human nature, it's genetic, it's Schadenfreude. All together now, Schadenfreude.

6:18 AM

End of massacre