Day 282 - Schadenfreude, Mudita or Indifference?

May 17th, 2010

On day 158 of my 365 day blog challenge, I wrote an entry called “Jew, Not-a-Jew or Canadian?” I gave you scenarios and asked you which of these three categories the examples fell under.
http://jacquelinekabat.blogspot.com/2010/01/day-158-jew-not-jew-or-canadian.html. On Day 166, I brought to you another list to test your knowledge of 3 interchangeable people: Bill O’Reilly, Kanye West and Mother Teresa. http://jacquelinekabat.blogspot.com/2010/01/day-166-bill-oreilly-kanye-west-or.html. Determining if you were celebrating Passover, Easter or The Festival of Steve Guttenberg was where we journeyed on Day 235. http://jacquelinekabat.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html. And just because I was curious, on Day 243, I needed to know if you had the Fear of Failure, Abandonment or Zombies? http://jacquelinekabat.blogspot.com/2010/04/day-243-fear-of-failure-abandonment-or.html. Most recently, on day 253, I needed to know if you were suffering from penis panic, vagina fervor or Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo. http://jacquelinekabat.blogspot.com/2010/04/day-253-penis-panic-vagina-fervor-or.html.

Today, I am curious if you saunter through life with schadenfreude, mudita or indifference. Perhaps you're perplexed and thinking, "But Jax! I know the word indifference(not that I care)...but the other two words confuse me. In the head area." I shall explain child. The German word, schadenfreude, is pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others while the Buddhist concept of mudita is the happiness in another's good fortune.

In order to determine your disposition, see which of these scenarios you resonate with:

The woman that your spouse left you for is not only smokin't hot, but has a PhD in a word you can't pronounce. You are delighted when she ends up getting mauled by a kitten in a freak Humane Society accident. It was a Persian.

You were trapped in a well as a child and were forced to eat pennies. And your own feces. Your heart feels full when you learn that the fireman who saved your life won 10 million dollars(in quarters)while playing a slot machine in Atlantic City.

A mild acquaintance tells you that he ate Ziti al Forno at the Olive Garden last night. You shrug your shoulders, ask yourself, "When I'm there..am I really family?" and then shrug your shoulders again.

Your emotionally abusive boss had to have his nose removed after being bit by a hooker at a motel. With hourly rates.

Your child gets into Harvard. You cry tears of joy after all he endured from being born with a tail.

You're in line at the grocery store and see a picture of Matthew McConaughey shirtless on a tabloid again. You shrug your shoulders, ask yourself, "Is he gay?" and then shrug your shoulders again.

You hear that the bully who ruined your childhood overdosed on bran.

You've achieved great success in life and have always wanted the best for your best friend who lost his parents when they experimented with time travel. And succeeded. After persevering through this tragic loss, your friend has found great fortune, pride and purpose with the success of his business, "Machetes. For Tots."

Someone you mildly knew in high school writes a Facebook status update that says, "Thank God it's Friday!" You shrug your shoulders, ask yourself, "Did I sleep with her in high school?" and then shrug your shoulders again.