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3.09 AVERAGE
3.09 AVERAGE
Provate a chiedere a un tifoso del Toro di scegliere tra queste due opzioni: la vittoria dello scudetto - da parte del Toro, naturalmente, o, in alternativa, la Juve retrocessa in serie B. È molto, molto difficile che riceviate una risposta immediata. Il tifoso del Toro ci penserà un attimo o anche più. E se pensate che, su cento tifosi interpellati, la maggioranza scelga lo scudetto, vi direi di non scommetterci troppi soldi.
La gioia per le disgrazie altrui è un sentimento complesso, molto diffuso, che colpisce indifferentemente dal genere, dall'età, dal livello di scolarizzazione (o cultura). Ma da dove arriva, e a che cosa serve?
Tiffany Watt Smith, l'autrice dell'Atlante delle emozioni , indaga la Schadenfreude in lungo e in largo. Innanzitutto spiega di cosa si tratta: del provare piacere - in un grado che va dalla gioia euforica a un più sommesso sollievo - quando a qualcuno qualcosa va storto.
C'è una schadenfreude più comprensibile, quella che proviamo verso i presuntuosi, verso chi si crede meglio di altri salvo poi cascare in figuracce memorali. O, ancora più accettabile, quella rivolta ai moralizzatori - magari pure razzisti - quando vengono beccati a commettere quei peccati sulla cui denuncia hanno costruito la propria carriera politica (John Niven si è sbizzarrito nel rappresentare casi di questa Schadenfreude, facendo fare una pessima fine a politici USA reazionari, famosi per le loro campagne contro i diritti delle donne e contro gli omosessuali, in A volte ritorno e ne La lista degli stronzi.
Ma quando proviamo piacere per le disavventure che accadono a persone contro cui non abbiamo nulla? O, addirittura, quando la proviamo verso persone a cui vogliamo bene? Tiffany Watt Smith ci aiuta a capirci qualcosa, di questo sentimento così ambiguo, così spiazzante, mettendo in gioco anche sé stessa. Mentre scriveva questo libro, anche suo marito stava scrivendo un volume. Solo che a lui andava tutto bene, macinava pagine e stava nei tempi. Lei aveva bisogno che qualcosa gli andasse storto, all'uomo che ha sposato e che continua ad amare...
E questo è solo uno degli esempi che trae dalla sua professione, dalla sua vita. Per arrivare, alla fine, a farci capire quello che ci dobbiamo fare, con la nostra schadenfreude: ci dobbiamo fare la pace.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for honest review. :)
I'm not sure this book was for me.
The subject matter was interesting to me because I had never heard of the term "Schadenfreude" before, but I realized quickly that it's something I've felt many times, to my shame. Or not. The author does an excellent job of reassuring the reader that it's something that a lot of people feel.
I liked the examples of schadenfreude included in in each chapter; some of them were really funny and had me feeling the sentiment as well. A bit too repetitive for my taste and there were some names mentioned that I assumed I was supposed to know but didn't. *shrug*
I'm not sure this book was for me.
The subject matter was interesting to me because I had never heard of the term "Schadenfreude" before, but I realized quickly that it's something I've felt many times, to my shame. Or not. The author does an excellent job of reassuring the reader that it's something that a lot of people feel.
I liked the examples of schadenfreude included in in each chapter; some of them were really funny and had me feeling the sentiment as well. A bit too repetitive for my taste and there were some names mentioned that I assumed I was supposed to know but didn't. *shrug*
Schadenfreude was definitely an entertaining little read, but I was expecting something a little more substantial. I felt as if every chapter was just scratching the surface of the topic. I also came away confused about what the author's thesis was regarding Schadenfreude.
That said, I truly enjoyed a lot of the anecdotes. I loved hearing about different understandings of Schadenfreude across cultures and through time. My favourite thing was her description of Pieter Bruegel's painting of Icarus. Delightful. I am also very grateful to Tiffany Watt Smith for reminding me of Mitt Romney's binder full of women. Good times!
That said, I truly enjoyed a lot of the anecdotes. I loved hearing about different understandings of Schadenfreude across cultures and through time. My favourite thing was her description of Pieter Bruegel's painting of Icarus. Delightful. I am also very grateful to Tiffany Watt Smith for reminding me of Mitt Romney's binder full of women. Good times!
Who knew there were so many ways to glory in others' misery? Lots of academic evidence and broken up by real-world examples.
funny
informative
slow-paced
challenging
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Content Warning: This review includes mention (but no gratuitous descriptions or analyses) of sexual violence.
I don't know exactly what I expected going into Tiffany Watt Smith's SHADENFREUDE: The Joy of Another's Misfortune. I think perhaps since I have a bit of a psychology background, I expected an interesting but somewhat dry psychological analysis of the phenomenon. This book was far more than that. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this little text and laughed out loud at many of the anecdotes and analyses. Perhaps that says more about me than it does about the book.
Smith uses psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, sociology, gender studies, pop culture, and other vehicles to examine the subject in very entertaining ways. She visits experts and gets their take, often detailing entertaining or moving conversations. She packs quite a lot into a small space from celebrating sports injuries to fmylife.com to #metoo and more. The book is broken up into different kinds of schadenfreude and different times that it presents itself. The beginning of each of these sections has three or so anecdotes of schadenfreude happening- most (or perhaps all) of which describe or mirror real life events. Gems like:
...at a family lunch, your parents mention how lovely your brother's children are, and it absolutely definitely sounds like they're really saying that your brother's kids are nicer than your kids, and then your brother's kid comes in sobbing with chocolate smeared all over his face, and screams: "Grandma's a fucking bitch!"
When a married anti-LGBT senator is caught having sex with a man in his office.
And, I would like to add two that I thought of repeatedly throughout the book that were not included, perhaps because it is about to get real dark in here:
When Daniel Holtzclaw- police officer and serial rapist mainly targeting Black women- was in tears after being found guilty of multiple rapes and sexual assaults, with a recommended sentence of 263 years, ON HIS BIRTHDAY.
When white supremacist/alt-right/nazi Richard Spencer was punched in the face during a news interview.
Both of these instances brought people out of the woodwork who claimed they normally don't celebrate pain and violence, but would make an exception in these cases. I have to agree. And some great memes came out of them.
There were some anecdotes Smith included I did not find funny. But, most of them at least made me smirk. It was an interesting experience as I often see myself as less inclined towards schadenfreude than average. Having read this book, I now believe that is not true, especially regarding schadenfreude that offers some form of poetic justice. The book helped me better understand and accept this rather than beating me down as bad for feeling it. Smith truly shows how schadenfreude is woven throughout all of our interactions and how it can serve certain social purposes. I knew a little bit about schadenfreude going in. I did not know that there is a separate word for it in a great many other languages, showing it spreads across locations and cultures.
While there is variance between individuals in just how far they will go with their schadenfreude, a unifying theme is often a feeling that the person or people had it coming. The authors seems to differentiate between sadism and schadenfreude, the former being more of a description of enjoying (and often causing) suffering in general. Misogynists, racists, corrupt politicians, and others bring obvious schadenfreude, but there is also a reality that people who are smug, lack humility, or just have an easier more privileged life also invoke joy in others when they suffer. Smith examines these phenomena both generally and personally being candid and honest about her own feelings and experiences. As she tied up the book she mentions, "I had hoped for a happy ending. Something like... I am, in short, a better person. But you already know that's not true," I laughed out loud. Yet, she follows this with some pretty brilliant life advice regarding dealing with when we find ourselves the target of schadenfreude, especially from people close to us:
If you are the victim of someone else's schadenfreude, you are seen as a worthy opponent. You have- or had, but don't worry, you'll get it again- something they want. Think back to those times when you have enjoyed their losses. Unless you very much deserve your misery, (in which case, take a long hard look at yourself,) their glee will tell you a lot about how you've made them feel.
This really gave me a lot to chew on regarding schadenfreude (that isn't as clear cut as white supremacists deserving a punch to the face) in both directions. If you aren't quite able to see yourself as someone who finds joy in the misery of others at times, pick up this book and you'll find you are just as petty as the rest of us. And that's ok.
This review was also posted to my blog.
I don't know exactly what I expected going into Tiffany Watt Smith's SHADENFREUDE: The Joy of Another's Misfortune. I think perhaps since I have a bit of a psychology background, I expected an interesting but somewhat dry psychological analysis of the phenomenon. This book was far more than that. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this little text and laughed out loud at many of the anecdotes and analyses. Perhaps that says more about me than it does about the book.
Smith uses psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, sociology, gender studies, pop culture, and other vehicles to examine the subject in very entertaining ways. She visits experts and gets their take, often detailing entertaining or moving conversations. She packs quite a lot into a small space from celebrating sports injuries to fmylife.com to #metoo and more. The book is broken up into different kinds of schadenfreude and different times that it presents itself. The beginning of each of these sections has three or so anecdotes of schadenfreude happening- most (or perhaps all) of which describe or mirror real life events. Gems like:
...at a family lunch, your parents mention how lovely your brother's children are, and it absolutely definitely sounds like they're really saying that your brother's kids are nicer than your kids, and then your brother's kid comes in sobbing with chocolate smeared all over his face, and screams: "Grandma's a fucking bitch!"
When a married anti-LGBT senator is caught having sex with a man in his office.
And, I would like to add two that I thought of repeatedly throughout the book that were not included, perhaps because it is about to get real dark in here:
When Daniel Holtzclaw- police officer and serial rapist mainly targeting Black women- was in tears after being found guilty of multiple rapes and sexual assaults, with a recommended sentence of 263 years, ON HIS BIRTHDAY.
When white supremacist/alt-right/nazi Richard Spencer was punched in the face during a news interview.
Both of these instances brought people out of the woodwork who claimed they normally don't celebrate pain and violence, but would make an exception in these cases. I have to agree. And some great memes came out of them.
There were some anecdotes Smith included I did not find funny. But, most of them at least made me smirk. It was an interesting experience as I often see myself as less inclined towards schadenfreude than average. Having read this book, I now believe that is not true, especially regarding schadenfreude that offers some form of poetic justice. The book helped me better understand and accept this rather than beating me down as bad for feeling it. Smith truly shows how schadenfreude is woven throughout all of our interactions and how it can serve certain social purposes. I knew a little bit about schadenfreude going in. I did not know that there is a separate word for it in a great many other languages, showing it spreads across locations and cultures.
While there is variance between individuals in just how far they will go with their schadenfreude, a unifying theme is often a feeling that the person or people had it coming. The authors seems to differentiate between sadism and schadenfreude, the former being more of a description of enjoying (and often causing) suffering in general. Misogynists, racists, corrupt politicians, and others bring obvious schadenfreude, but there is also a reality that people who are smug, lack humility, or just have an easier more privileged life also invoke joy in others when they suffer. Smith examines these phenomena both generally and personally being candid and honest about her own feelings and experiences. As she tied up the book she mentions, "I had hoped for a happy ending. Something like... I am, in short, a better person. But you already know that's not true," I laughed out loud. Yet, she follows this with some pretty brilliant life advice regarding dealing with when we find ourselves the target of schadenfreude, especially from people close to us:
If you are the victim of someone else's schadenfreude, you are seen as a worthy opponent. You have- or had, but don't worry, you'll get it again- something they want. Think back to those times when you have enjoyed their losses. Unless you very much deserve your misery, (in which case, take a long hard look at yourself,) their glee will tell you a lot about how you've made them feel.
This really gave me a lot to chew on regarding schadenfreude (that isn't as clear cut as white supremacists deserving a punch to the face) in both directions. If you aren't quite able to see yourself as someone who finds joy in the misery of others at times, pick up this book and you'll find you are just as petty as the rest of us. And that's ok.
This review was also posted to my blog.
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Very interesting topic and well put together. I enjoyed the combination of historical and modern examples as well as the psychology behind them. Sadly, I couldn’t help but find the book boring and slow at times.