Why We Enjoy Seeing People Fail

It's called schadenfreude, and it's that feeling of pleasure at another person's misfortune. Sounds kind of sadistic, but there's actually some pretty solid science behind this unbecoming behavior. Trace explains.

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Feeling pleasure at the misfortune of those you envy is biological (The Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences)
"A new study by Princeton University researchers shows that people are actually biologically responsive to taking pleasure in the pain of others, a reaction known as 'Schadenfreude.'"

Their pain, our pleasure: stereotype content and schadenfreude
"People often fail to empathize with others, and sometimes even experience schadenfreude—pleasure at others' misfortunes. One potent predictor of schadenfreude is envy, which, according to the stereotype content model, is elicited by high-status, competitive targets. Here we review our recent research program investigating the relationships among stereotypes, envy, schadenfreude, and harm."

Schadenfreude is a normal human response, study finds
"People who take pleasure in the pain of others -- especially those they envy -- are normal and should not be worried about being thought cruel, a study suggests."

Why do we feel schadenfreude?
"When other people suffer misfortunes, we feel sorry for them. Or do we? More than we probably want to admit, we sometimes are secretly pleased."

Schadenfreude Explained: Why We Secretly Smile When Others Fail
"When the office slacker makes a mistake that could cost them a pay raise — do you truly feel bad, or do you have to work to hide your smile?"

Their pain, our pleasure: stereotype content and schadenfreude
"People often fail to empathize with others, and sometimes even experience schadenfreude—pleasure at others' misfortunes. One potent predictor of schadenfreude is envy, which, according to the stereotype content model, is elicited by high-status, competitive targets."

Politics, schadenfreude, and ingroup identification: The sometimes happy thing about a poor economy and death
"Political campaigns are often characterized by the various events occurring that move the tide in favor of one candidate or another. Each event, depending on which candidate it favors or harms, produces either happiness or sadness for those who care about the outcome."

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The Empathy Switch
TestTube Wild Card:
Why We Care When Bad People Suffer
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[AJDaBaws]

In other words, we're all sadistic freaks.

[naturalisted]

This is why we will never have world peace or lasting happiness or utopia.

[Seeker]

Ever had that feeling of pleasure at another person's misfortune? It's called schadenfreude and there is solid science behind this behavior. Trace Dominguez  explains: Why We Enjoy Seeing People Fail

[tetsubo]

When someone else falls down that is comedy. When you fall down that is tragedy.

[Jiff]

Happens with everyone. Every single golfer in the world takes pleasure when someone in their group hits the ball into the woods. You know how your favorite sports team has a rival? Everyone loves watching that team lose, but more specifically, you like watching the fans of that team watch them lose.

[TSProductionsVideos]

I laugh at my own pain too.. like if I fall or trip or stub my toe and such in a stupid or weird way ill laugh constantly at my own misery

[OOIDJJ]

Everyone has this. Some just don't wanna admit it.

[happycline]

I must be an oddball, I always feel bad/cringe/feel sorry when I see someone fail.

[zQuestionsleep]

I don't, unless it is a specific person whom I have had trouble with. I actually find it a really unattractive quality in people.

[SausanMartinez]

I don't belong to this group. I don't get my groove seeing people fail. Even if my enemy fails it stings me a little. The only people that I like to see fail are pedifiles, rapists, psychopaths, evil people etc. otherwise I don't wish bad things unto anyone. Thank you for sharing inaccurate info, or partial accuracy for that matter.

[donat]

We have it in Hungarian too, the word is "káröröm". Literally kár=damage, öröm=joy.

[summerleggo]

Some of you still don't get the concept of Schaudenfrede so I'm gonna help you out!Do ya ever clap when a waitress falls and drops a tray of glasses? And ain't it fun to watch figure skaters falling on their asses?! Don't ya feel warm and cozy watching people out in the rain?! That's SCHAUDENFREDE!! People taking pleasure in your pain!!!!

[naturalisted]

it's a self reassuring mechanism that "hey, my life might suck but at least I'm not that person!"

In other words - the more annoyed you are with your own circumstances, the greater your chances are for finding joy in other's suffering.

This is also how you learn to deflect it. If someone laughs at you for your suffering just immediately realize that they hate their situation so much that they need to laugh at others to feel better about themselves - then look them directly in the eye (do not say a word) and show immense pity for them. This will immediately cause them to realize that they suck.

[phillip]

Issues stemming from low self-esteem, and envy. With the former showing more of a connection.

[AkaneXD]

I dont feel happy when i see people get physically hurt...

[ITIonoxide]

Explains the popularity of fail videos.

[sakuranovaryan]

I think it stems from peoples self esteem issues or repressed frustration...it's not cruel to laughter at some clips of people falling sometimes but if anybody feels better when someone being hurt or demeaned without them doing something wrong then we need to ask ourselves why we feel that way and is that healthy.

[TGC]

When I see failure, I feel compelled to help that person succeed. I would hope that is the normal reaction.

[ShawnRavenfire]

All this seems to stem from the idea of bad things happening to an enemy or a rival. As far as I can remember, I've never experienced this, probably because I generally don't pick sides or teams.

[Jack]

This was something I always just took for granted as human nature. Its interesting that there is a word for it and people actually study it.