Schadenfreude vs Mudita
July 15, 2025•302 words
“The truth is that envy is simply the tax we pay for the success of others.” - Robert Greene
“To rejoice in the good fortune of others is to show a generous soul.” - Aristotle
“Schadenfreude is the emotional byproduct of insecurity in a status-obsessed society.” - Alain de Botton
“Our envy always lasts longer than the happiness of those we envy.” - François de La Rochefoucauld
“Mudita means that you can be happy about other people’s happiness. That’s a great gift.” - Thích Nhất Hạnh
When someone you secretly envy makes a mistake or fails, you've probably experienced that brief moment of satisfaction before. Schadenfreude is the term for that psychological silent, sinister delight in another person's misfortune.
Doesn't social media thrive on it? A tiny, smug voice inside your brain, murmurs, "Serves them right," as you scroll past headlines about a scandal involving a powerful person or the fall of a celebrity. It's more than just pettiness; it's a perverted kind of envy, strengthened by a digital online social media environment from the palm of your hand using a cell phone that feeds off of the failures of others to keep you having that jolt of dopamine that brings you interest in the negativity of someone's downfall.
However, you also have a different, more difficult path. Consider teaching yourself to experience mudita, or genuine delight in another person's successful outcomes. Particularly when you're having trouble and someone else seems to be flying, it doesn't come naturally.
However, you're rewiring your own psychological instincts when you decide to rejoice in their successes rather than harbour resentment. It's empathy and control, and it gradually releases you from the burden of envy. When others rise, you start to rise with them rather than belittling others.
https://youtu.be/djEKllJJukk?si=L1ezohn4kbqlzWYx