Schadenfreude: The Joy of Another's Misfortune

正面看待他人對你的幸災樂禍，藉此獲得正能量。讓情緒歷史學家Tiffany Watt Smith透過最新的科學研究，揭開幸災樂禍所帶來的效應。享受他人的失敗與痛苦，這種幸災樂禍的感覺讓人再熟悉不過。數百年來的哲學家與心理學家對此困惑不已，特別在敵對政治與社群媒體如此泛濫的年代，蓋起幸災樂禍的高樓更是司空見慣。近日的研究發現，敵人之失比我們之得要讓我們更加開心。為何目睹他人的苦痛與煩惱，竟會引起我們的歡快？對此一心理現象，我們該如何因應？情緒歷史學家Tiffany Watt Smith在《幸災樂禍》這本書中，提供了專業的洞察與建議。從尼采到《辛普森家庭》的老爹，作者爬梳了最新的科學研究，收集了許多坦承幸災樂禍的懺悔錄，顯示出從嬰孩、修女甚至你最信任的朋友，每一個人都在享受你的不幸。然而幸災樂禍這個情緒上的毛病，卻能夠真正顯現我們與他人的深刻關係，並且理解到我們自身的為人。既溫暖又坦承不諱，這本讓你大笑的《幸災樂禍》，讓我們重新思考被黑化已久的情緒反應，甚至開始面對它。Schadenfreude - enjoying the pain and failures of others - is an all-too-familiar feeling. It has perplexed philosophers and psychologists for centuries but, in a time of polarised politics, twitter trolls and 'sidebars of shame', has never been more relevant. Recent studies have shown that we smile more at a rival's loss than at our own success. But why can it be so much fun to witness another's distress? And what, if anything, should we do about it?In Schadenfreude, historian of emotions Tiffany Watt Smith offers expert insight and advice. Ranging across thinkers from Nietzsche to Homer Simpson, investigating the latest scientific research, and collecting some outrageous confessions on the way - she reveals how everyone, babies, nuns, your most trusted friends, are enjoying your misfortunes. But rather than an emotional glitch, she argues, Schadenfreude can reveal profound truths about our relationships with others and our sense of who we are.Frank, warm and laugh-out-loud funny, Schadenfreude makes the case for thinking afresh about this much-maligned emotion - and perhaps, even, embracing it.