Verified by 
Schadenfreude
When misfortune befalls others, especially a rival, feelings of delight can surface. A competitor’s bad luck may make us look good and feel better off. Schadenfreude is a German word, with "schaden" meaning damage and "freude" meaning joy. However, it is a universal human phenomenon and not exclusive to individualist cultures. While this is a Western construct, Asians such as the Chinese have similar terms, xìng zāi lè huò, which means enjoyment in seeing and hearing the troubles of others. It is simply the experience of gloating. People may feel guilt or shame after experiencing schadenfreude.
Some people love the misfortunes of the successful—for example when Alex Rodriguez was suspended for doping, or Martha Stewart went to jail for insider trading. In short, we want to think that bad people should suffer. Research on schadenfreude is based on social comparison theory, developed by Leon Festinger in the 1950s, whereby people compare themselves with others. Schadenfreude is also called epicaricacy, when we derive pleasure from the misfortune of another.
An envious person feels pain over another person’s successes. The person wants what the other has. A jealous person feels threatened and possessive. Envy or jealousy feels bad, and schadenfreude feels good, at least in the short-term, given that it may engender a sense of guilt in some people when they reflect further on their reaction.
Schadenfreude is linked to the Dark Triad, which comprises narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. It is seen more in aggressive people and less in those who are agreeable and empathic. Bullies, for instance, enjoy seeing pain in others.
Social media does magnify comparisons. People share highly curated moments in life that show success and happiness. And because many people feel removed and distant from others on social media, there is less empathy and trust and more schadenfreude in the event that negative news about people becomes available.
Schadenfreude based on justice is connected to fairness and values. If a person who has opposing values is struck down, justice is served—he had it coming. For example, this is the feeling people had when President Richard Nixon was impeached because of his involvement in Watergate cover-ups in 1972.
A Pew Research survey reported that men are slightly more inclined to feel schadenfreude than women. This could mean women are more empathic or it could mean that men are more honest in their reporting.
If the person who has fallen, perhaps in disgrace, is a competitor or a rival, an empathic person could have feelings of pleasure. This is especially so if the misfortune was viewed as deserved.
Schadenfreude may have evolved because of competition amongst individuals and tribes. When a rival falls, limited resources free up and opportunities arise.
A person who feels low self-esteem may experience schadenfreude more than others, according to research from Leiden University in The Netherlands. They are also more likely to feel threatened by more successful people.
In Australia and New Zealand, tall poppies are people with great talent, status, and success. When these successful people are criticized, the tall poppies are being cut down.
Gluck means luck, and schmerz means pain. The term gluckschmerz is used when people feel pain when another person experiences good fortune. A good example of this phenomenon is besmirching the wins of a rival sports team.
Freudenfreude is the opposite of schadenfreude. Essentially, it means feeling happy for another person’s joy and success. In a study with college students, those who were not depressed scored higher in freudenfreude and lower in schadenfreude.
