Schadenfreude

£7.99

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 this book, historian of emotions Tiffany Watt Smith offers expert insight and advice.

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SKU: 9781781259108 Category: Publisher/imprint : Wellcome Collection
Page count : 160
Published on 5th November, 2020

Description

‘A delightful book, full of jokes and confessions’ GuardianA hilarious quest to understand life’s ultimate guilty pleasureIn 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.

Additional information

Weight 0.152 kg
Dimensions 19.6 × 12.8 × 1.6 cm
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