There is a strange feeling that often sits quietly in human nature, one that we rarely admit out loud but almost everyone has experienced. It is the small sense of satisfaction that arises when someone else faces a setback, especially if that person seemed too fortunate, too confident, or too untouchable. The Germans gave this feeling a name centuries ago: schadenfreude. Literally, it means “harm joy,” and it captures the odd delight people sometimes take in another’s misfortune.
At first glance, schadenfreude seems petty and unkind. Why would we ever be happy about another person’s troubles? Yet the answer is not so simple. To understand it, we need to look at the subtle ways people compare themselves to others and how those comparisons affect self-worth. When someone we perceive as better off than us stumbles, it can momentarily close the gap we feel between their life and ours. In that instant, it is almost as if the scales of fairness have shifted, and balance is restored.
Think about watching a rival co-worker make a mistake during a presentation. You would never wish harm upon them, but a small part of you may feel relieved or even secretly glad. It is not about cruelty; it is about reassurance. Their slip shows they are not flawless. In that moment, your own insecurities soften because perfection feels less distant. The satisfaction is not really about their failure but about your own sense of equality.
Schadenfreude can also appear in lighter ways. Many people laugh when a celebrity trip becomes a viral clip or when a well-known figure faces a humorous mishap. The enjoyment is not rooted in hatred but in the breaking of an illusion. Famous people often seem to live in a separate world, but when they stumble like anyone else, they become human again. Humor grows out of that return to normality, and the laughter comes more from surprise than cruelty.
Still, schadenfreude can turn darker. If it grows into an ongoing habit of celebrating the struggles of others, it can feed bitterness and resentment. Some people may find themselves stuck in a cycle of waiting for others to fail rather than working toward their own growth. Instead of moving forward, they invest their energy in hoping others move backward. Over time, this mindset creates isolation, because relationships cannot thrive when people secretly root against each other.
Psychologists have studied schadenfreude for years, and many link it to three main forces: envy, justice, and rivalry. Envy appears when we see someone having what we want and feel satisfaction when they lose it. Justice-driven schadenfreude emerges when someone who behaved badly faces consequences, and we feel glad that fairness was served. Rivalry-based schadenfreude is common in sports, politics, or competition, where the downfall of one side means joy for the other. These forms may look similar on the surface, but the motivation behind them differs, and so does the impact on our character.
It is worth noting that not all forms of schadenfreude are destructive. In fact, justice-based schadenfreude often carries moral weight. When someone who mistreated others finally gets exposed, the relief we feel is tied to fairness, not malice. We are not celebrating pain for its own sake; we are celebrating accountability. This explains why scandals of corrupt leaders or dishonest public figures spark widespread satisfaction. It is not about delighting in harm but about recognizing that rules still apply.
At the same time, it is important to notice when schadenfreude stems more from envy than from fairness. If we repeatedly find ourselves feeling glad about the setbacks of friends, peers, or strangers, it might signal unresolved insecurities. The energy spent wishing for others to stumble could instead be channeled into building confidence, learning skills, or nurturing gratitude. Reframing success as something that grows collectively, not competitively, reduces the need to seek comfort in another’s losses.
Interestingly, cultures also shape how schadenfreude is expressed. In some places, individual achievement is celebrated, and envy-driven reactions are common when someone stands out. In others, the emphasis on harmony makes people more likely to celebrate when the overly ambitious are humbled. No matter where it happens, though, the underlying emotion shows how much humans care about social balance. We are constantly measuring ourselves against those around us, and schadenfreude reflects our struggle to accept inequality in status, skill, or luck.
One healthy response to recognizing schadenfreude in ourselves is curiosity rather than guilt. Instead of pushing the feeling away, we can ask: why did this situation spark such satisfaction in me? Was it envy, a sense of fairness, or rivalry? Answering that honestly can uncover hidden insecurities or values that need attention. For example, if you often feel joy when wealthier people lose money, perhaps you are carrying frustration about your own financial position. Acknowledging that frustration can motivate practical steps to improve your situation instead of clinging to envy.
Another helpful approach is practicing compassion. When we remind ourselves that everyone experiences struggles and that pain feels the same no matter who suffers it, the desire to celebrate misfortune softens. Compassion shifts focus from comparison to connection. It allows us to find common ground in humanity rather than divide ourselves through rivalry. That does not mean ignoring justice or accountability, but it means recognizing that even those who falter deserve dignity.
Schadenfreude will likely never disappear, because it is woven into the fabric of human comparison. Yet awareness makes a difference. By naming the feeling and understanding its roots, we gain the ability to choose how we respond. We can laugh lightly at the harmless stumbles of celebrities without letting envy poison our relationships. We can celebrate fairness when injustice is corrected without sliding into cruelty. And most importantly, we can notice when envy or rivalry is pulling us toward unhealthy satisfaction and redirect that energy into personal growth.
At its heart, schadenfreude is a mirror. It reflects our insecurities, our sense of justice, and our rivalries. By paying attention to that reflection, we learn not only about others but about ourselves. The real value lies not in suppressing the feeling but in using it as a guide to understand what matters to us and how we can grow into more compassionate, confident, and balanced individuals.
