Schadenfreude—the pleasure derived from another’s misfortune—is biologically rooted in the brain’s reward system. Brain imaging studies reveal that when we witness the downfall of someone we envy or dislike, the ventral striatum activates—the same reward center associated with pleasure, food, and financial gain.
By the way, remember that this is merely a sensation related to your survival physiology. Everyone experiences it, regardless of whether you acknowledge it or not. It feels unpleasant. However, you have no control over it and should not take it personally.
Why Does Schadenfreude Exist?
- Social Hierarchy and Competition
-
- Evolutionarily, seeing a rival fall meant increased survival prospects.
-
- In modern society, this translates to corporate competition, political rivalries, and personal jealousy.
-
- Social media has amplified public shaming, turning it into a collective dopamine rush.
- Enforcing Justice
-
- When a powerful or corrupt individual suffers, people feel a sense of moral balance restored.
-
- This is the reason public scandals, cancel culture, and political downfalls are celebrated.
- Coping Mechanism for Inequality
-
- When people feel powerless in an unfair system, watching a high-status figure fail gives the illusion of fairness.
-
- It does not improve actual conditions but provides a momentary emotional release.
- Cognitive Dissonance and Schadenfreude
-
- People justify their failures by relishing in the failures of others.
-
- If someone more successful fails, it validates their struggles.
- The most important reason is that, as a species, most humans suffer a lot of mental pain because we cannot escape our thoughts.
- Schadenfreude activates pleasure circuits and reduces your pain. Unfortunately, we aren’t widely taught alternative methods for dealing with repetitive thoughts. Schadenfreude serves as a viable alternative. The tragedy is that there are many well-researched ways to separate from thoughts, calm down, and reroute the nervous system, which can reduce the frequency of these unpleasant thoughts.
So what should we do? Schadenfreude activates reward areas in the brain to the extent that we feel pleasure. If the outcome is reduced suffering, and there appear to be no alternatives, why would we want to relinquish it? We don’t, and we haven’t
If we don’t have enough pain relief from watching others suffer, then we often choose to inflict suffering – even on ourselves. One clear example is the practice of self-cutting. A term for this is “Tall Poppy Syndrome.” There is joy in cutting others down, and it has been rampant throughout history and our modern world. The term arose in Australia and refers to cutting a poppy that stands above the rest of the field. This manifests in an infinite number of ways, including domestic violence, bullying, and win-lose competition. However, the most common and insidious form is gossip. Is this a factor in our endless self-critical voice?
Schadenfreude and Tall Poppy Syndrome and Conformity
Understanding Schadenfreude in the context of our current societal chaos and oppression is essential. The American dream is grounded in the ideals of freedom, health, happiness, and safety. Safety signifies living your life on your own terms without fear of retribution. However, our society appears to be obsessed with compelling everyone to conform to a particular standard of normalcy.
This phenomenon can be traced back to “mental rigidity,” an emotional and mental construct we create to cope with mental pain—the mental effort required to develop and maintain a rigid lifestyle and worldview fuels ruminating thoughts. When confronted with new facts or perspectives, your brain instinctively resists change, particularly those that challenge deeply held beliefs. In the context of societal norms, this mental rigidity leads to chaos and a need to “bring people back in line.” Gossip and slander are common methods to achieve this end.
Consider the topic of sexuality, which has been poorly defined and interpreted throughout history. In ancient Rome and many other cultures, diverse sexual expressions were tolerated and accepted. However, certain groups today insist that their way of being is the “right” way, deeming any deviation unacceptable. This mindset imposes the burden of defending one’s mental rigidity. People need to learn to respect others and allow them to live according to their values.
Societal mental rigidity often reflects the collective psyche, influenced by individuals with defensive mechanisms that resist change. While I don’t know the exact percentage of the population that exhibits such mental rigidity, it transcends various mental health diagnoses. When a group repeatedly dictates what is acceptable, societal norms become rigidly defended. Reason fails because these beliefs are tied to emotional responses; any facts contradicting them lead to an uncomfortable cognitive dissonance. Instead of adapting their thinking, people push others to conform to their viewpoints.
Blame – the first step in “cutting”
In a chaotic society, many individuals often resort to blame. The “genealogy” of anger consists of 1) an unpleasant situation or person, 2) blame, 3) feeling victimized, and 4) anger. Blame lies at the core of anger, which intensifies our stress response. When we operate from a place of blame and complaint, our brains go offline, preventing us from thinking clearly. Much harm occurs in the context of scapegoating.
Throughout history, various groups have been defined by arbitrary and rigid standards. Consequently, they are blamed for nearly anything and persecuted. Race serves as an easily identifiable marker. Religious sects include Hindus, Muslims, Catholics, and often anyone based on the country’s perspective. The Jewish community has maintained a unique identity for centuries, which also makes them a target. They contribute significantly to society in many areas, making their continued persecution perplexing.
Consider today’s immigrants, who are often hard-working and family-oriented individuals who positively contribute to our communities. It’s ironic to hear calls to eliminate racism while ignoring the roots of these prejudices. Many of these issues arise from cognitive dissonance.
The antidote – feeling safe being vulnerable
Addressing these deep-seated issues requires teaching vulnerability and promoting comfort with discomfort. Healing begins when individuals feel safe enough to be themselves and accept others as they are, provided this doesn’t infringe on anyone else’s rights. Our obsession with conformity harms our collective well-being, and we must change for us to thrive.
American politics illustrates the continuous struggle between freedom and conformity. Although the United States hasn’t always fulfilled its ideals, instances of genuine safety and acceptance remind us that the best moments arise when individuals feel secure and valued for their true selves.
When you feel secure in yourself and allow others to be themselves, you naturally want the best for them. On the other hand, if you hold a rigid mindset to guard against unpleasant thoughts, you will likely show rigid judgments toward others and may act accordingly. This inflexibility can manifest on both personal and societal levels.
Human survival
This issue concerns the survival of the human race. We depend on similar emotional and mental survival methods as we do for physical survival. While physical safety is often prioritized, emotional well-being is just as important. Ignoring this issue fractures societies and is ultimately unsustainable.
We must support one another in thriving, which involves learning to be vulnerable and allowing people to express their true selves, as long as it does not infringe upon the rights of others. Forcing conformity on everyone is an obsession that lacks sense and must change for us to flourish as a species.
Current American politics illustrates this significantly: It was founded on the promise of freedom, even though we have not always adhered to that ideal. Reflect on the times when you felt your best. You often feel safe and content, with balanced body chemistry and a sense of physiological security.
The focus should not be on “pursuing happiness” but on “pursuing safety” for yourself and those around you. This will lower Schadenfreude, and happiness will follow naturally.