joy at other's woes

discussed in a recent BuisnessWeek article titled: ~sweet revenge~

HERE

a behavioral economist ( !! ) (who knew there was such a thing) at the university of Zurich studies how our brains react when "social norms" are violated

this researcher found that the part of our brain associated with feeling satisfaction

is MORE strongly activated when we contemplate "getting even"

now ain't that a kick in the head !!!

he said:

"There is a hedonic force behind the punishment."

put simply ... revenge is biologically scientifically sweet

sooooooooo

from time to time the "revenge" threads pop up on MB

it's sortof nice to have a word to describe the process

[color:"red"]schadenfreude [/color] ... WikipediA has a pretty decent explaination of the concept

interesting brain food for a Saturday afternoon in front of the fire...

Pep

I remember an episode of "House" where Dr. House used the term, but I don't recall what the context was. Darn.

Pep:

Are we talking German now? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Would that make you Phefferband???? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

LOL

I first heard it used on The Simpsons of all places.

(Even though I don't watch "popular" television <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />)

I'd always understood it to mean "delight in the misfortune of others".

behaviorial economist = My wife when I write a check but don't enter it in the journal. That's her first title. Then during questioning, she becomes a sadist.

I, then, become a victim of my own stupidity.
SD

Let's please not talk revenge, OK?

I'd still like 2 see RM in the ground


-ol' 2long

we're not talking revenge
we're addressing human biology here

*hee-hee*

I experienced schadenfreude today

true story

a police chase ended today with the "bad guy" smashing his car into a wall and suffering a broken leg

my brain neurons were all aglow with the satisfaction that

A. he did not get away with his crime
B. he did not hurt someone else
C. he broke his leg
D. he looks like an idiot
D. the law-abiding citizens laughed with collective satisfaction that "he" got "his" ... right away !!!!

Pep

Hi, Pep.

I get my revenge by helping others survive infidelity <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />.

I hope you are well.

Gimble

Gimble! What a relief to 'see' you back here. We all keep struggling to remember your great sig line.

...off to make careful note...."An affair is the embodiment of entitlement, fueled by resentment and lack of respect. "

And this sounds like one for LilSis...
"An infidel will remain unreachable so long as their sense of entitlement exceeds their ability to reason. "

Thanks.

TA

whoa ... Gimble my main man !

I am well dammit!

Pep <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Hi, TA.

Quote:
===============================
Gimble! What a relief to 'see' you back here. We all keep struggling to remember your great sig line.
===============================

Well I am glad that you have found it useful!

God bless,
Gimble

Gimble!!!! Hi <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Hi, ff!

I trust that you have been well also.

I really have missed you all, but business has kept me away. I finally sold it, so I hope to catch up with everyone soon.

God bless,
Gimble

Oh lord, I just realized what you meant by this...you get your revenge on infidelity, by helping people survive it. I'm so slow sometimes, had to delete my previous post it was so stupid. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />


Very good to see you posting again, Gimble.

Hi, weaver.

It is good to see you as well!

I doubt that your post was stupid. Mine should have been more clear.

God bless,
Gimble

One possible explanation may be the basic premise of reaping and sowing.

Not soooooo very much that we literally delight in seeing people suffer but a measure of peace in natural order.

Not so much that you got what you deserved...but you got what you grew, what you asked for.

I know when I see people who make evil hurtfull choices prosper I feel very odd...gravity reversed...it is unnatural.

You planted soy and grew corn...it's wrong...it's illogical.

It's a mess is what it is...calls all our choices and expectations into question.

When a person makes a bad choice and gets a bad result...ahhhh..relief...the world has a measure of predictability and thus stability about it once more.

noodlenfreude

There is also the element of fairness and predictability to consider.

Fairness: implies that everyone has value, since justice aims to put each person on the same playing field.

Predictability: implies we live in a world where actions bring generally predictable results, hence we live in a safe world.

indeed!

Time wounds all heels... - Groucho Marx

This has been niggling away at me. I was trying to think of the way to describe scadenfreude because I know it has nothing to do with revenge or just desserts or poetic justice. It's a very negative feeling, closely aligned with jealousy and envy, mainly envy.

Then I thought of an example. Your neighbours, the Jones, have just bought a bright, shiny, new SUV. They polish it and they look at it and they wave to you from it every time they go past. The nasty part of you thinks "who do they think they are, mutter, mutter."

One day you are in your yard and Mrs Jones reverses the SUV into her mailbox and makes rather a nasty dent in her nice new car.

The nasty little delight you feel when that happens is schadenfreude.

really?

I thought it was suvdenfreude

[color:"blue"] bwhaaaaaaaaa [/color]

Hi Pep.

In South Philly we had a similar sentiment..."serves ya right d!_k head".

I love it when a scientific term is applied to a colloquial sentiment. Seems to add legitimacy to it!

I'm w/Gimble and right now the WS we are dealing with (SIL (aka: WS).... I have heard through the grapevine and I am NOW the reason for all her misery! Imagine that!?!??! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> over 2000 miles away and I can have such a drastic effect. This WS has been kiced out of her home, lied to the courts, tried to borrow money from family and friends (exposed to all) and now she is telling that I am responsbile for her current condition? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> Is that schausenfrauden or what???!?! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

L.