"Schadenfreude seems to permeate American politics these days as viral clips and memes of politicians making real or AI-generated gaffes and off-color remarks are gleefully shared by ideological foes. The German word, which means taking delight in another's misfortune, describes a response that was once taboo to express openly. Now it's been embraced by partisans as a powerful weapon to reinforce political support and group identity."
"How do scholars look at schadenfreude and its use in politics? Schadenfreude is the celebration of someone else's pain or other negative condition. Schopenhauer compared it to cruelty. Like many emotions, it can play out in politics. We saw this happen with the slogan "own the libs." Owning the libs is celebrating the pain, offense, or fury of a political opponent. Schadenfreude can operate as a kind of psychic dynamite."
Schadenfreude has become widespread in American politics through viral clips and memes that highlight politicians' real or AI-generated gaffes and off-color remarks. The German term denotes taking delight in another's misfortune and has shifted from a taboo feeling to an embraced partisan tactic used to reinforce political support and group identity. Historical comparison links the emotion to cruelty. The tactic manifests in slogans like "own the libs" and functions as psychic dynamite. Attributions of schadenfreude undermine willingness to cooperate, foster indifference to others' pain, and obstruct efforts to build civic communion.
Read at Harvard Gazette
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]