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Schadenfreude

No. It's not a sneeze!

By Novel AllenPublished 3 years ago Updated 3 years ago 1 min read

Who? Asks Owl.

Who what brother owl?

Who sneezed just now?

Oh, it wasn't a sneeze

I distinctly did hear a sneeze

It was just Schadenfreude

The experience of pleasure, joy, or self-satisfaction

Deeply felt within

Which comes from learning of or witnessing the troubles,

Failures, or humiliation of another

Borrowed from German, with no direct translation

Schadenfreude originated in the 18th century

Schadenfreude it is said

Has been detected in the very young

As young as 24 months

And may be an important social emotion

Establishing "inequity aversion".

More likely to be found in people of low self-esteem

Far more than those with a sense of self-importance

Or so the experts say

Schadenfreude occurs at every level of the human mind

Whether or not we care to admit it

Here in regular people land

We name it bad-mindedness, jealousy,

And the green-eyed monster

Waiting to see you fail at everything

Is there not some Schadenfreude

Seething somewhere deep inside of us all?

Just waiting to be set free!

"Schadenfreude"

"Did you sneeze, asked Owl again"

"No I......never mind. Yes I did".

"Gesundheit"!

'Thank you and goodnight my friend Owl".

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About the Creator

Novel Allen

You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. (Maya Angelou). Genuine accomplishment is not about financial gain, but about dedicating oneself to activities that bring joy and fulfillment.

Reader insights

Outstanding

Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!

Top insights

  1. Easy to read and follow

    Well-structured & engaging content

  2. Excellent storytelling

    Original narrative & well developed characters

  3. Expert insights and opinions

    Arguments were carefully researched and presented

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Comments (3)

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  • Grz Colm3 years ago

    ..may I also ask if you still promote your pieces on social media fb etc.. or not really your thing? I’m surprised your pieces, like the last few I’ve read this blessed evening do not have WAY more likes! 😀 -Gesundheit! 🦉

  • Grz Colm3 years ago

    This piece was charming! Really thoughtful and amusing too! I have heard of this before, but had forgotten what it meant. I have missed so many pieces…so Catching up! You really know how to make me work for my supper huh! 🤣

  • St. Tiffy3 years ago

    This was very good, I like the structure and the topic.

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