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Normally, you should be happy to see other people happy, and sad when you see others sad. However, it cannot be denied that we often feel happy to see someone suffer or be hit by a disaster. As a simple example, we may be excited when we see a friend suddenly stumble and fall on the road. Is it normal to be happy to see other people in trouble?
Why does it feel good to see other people in trouble?
The feeling of being happy when seeing other people is difficult, according to researchers from the Department of Psychology at Mercer University, is known by name schadenfreude . Schadenfreude can also be interpreted as "joy in loss". This term is taken from the German language, namely " Schaden " which means loss and " Freude " means joy.
Wilco W. van Dijk, a professor of psychology at Leiden University in the Netherlands, said that people who laugh at other people's bad luck may think that something about the incident was to their own advantage. It is also possible that they feel better or more fortunate than those who have been hit by adversity.
A simple example is when watching comedy on television. Seeing comedians making fun of their peers, you may burst out laughing at them. This reaction comes because you feel the scenario was made to be entertaining, which will certainly benefit you. On the other hand, you also feel happier and better than the "victim" because you are not the target of the banter.
Some psychologists also believe that pleasure can arise from jealousy, or jealousy, of the life of a person who is suffering. For example, it's nice to see your friends don't pass the university entrance exams. Without realizing it, you may feel rivaled and jealous of other abilities or successes that your friend has previously achieved. So when he failed once this would sound like good news.
Looking deeper, the feeling of being happy to see other people in trouble can also be influenced by feelings of hopelessness and insecurity because of low self-esteem or self-confidence. Then according to Catherine Chambliss, chair of the department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Ursinus College, Pennsylvania, schadenfreude could be affected by any depressive symptoms the person may have.
Is this normal?
You don't have to worry about feeling like the worst person in the world if you've ever felt it. According to Mina Cikara, a researcher on the concept schadenfreude published in the journal Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, it is nice to see other people suffering is normal.
Lack of empathy for others also does not mean that you have a particular mental disorder. This is a humane response that many others have felt as well. But in rare cases, schadenfraude could develop into something more dangerous.
A study from Emory University stated that too often or really like to see other people find it difficult to show a tendency towards psychopathic characteristics. Psychopathic disorders can make you justify a variety of ways to make other people sick or afflicted with adversity without feeling sorry for it.
