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Is there a word that means "a person who delights in the misfortune of others?"


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you want a word for the person who exhibits schadenfreude? (or in English, perhaps, epicaricacy?)
I would call this person a sadist.


#135885 12/11/04 12:38 PM
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I would call this person a sadist

In general usage, I believe, a sadist is someone who enjoys inflicting pain, physical or psychological, on someone else.

What might be wanted here is a more generalized, 'innocent' enjoyment of another person's misfortune which celebrities and politicians often complain about when they fall from grace.

Your word "epicaricacy" is a good word, tsuwm, altho a bit of a mouthful. If "epicaricacy" means "taking pleasure in others' misfortune", then someone who takes such pleasure is an "epicaricacist" [which is even more of a mouthful].

Perhaps a new coinage is in order.

Taking inspiration from the word "killjoy" [meaning "party pooper"], how about: "gloomjoy".

Thus, a person who delights in the misfortunes of celebrities (and others) as reported in the news [and often fabricated for their peculiar delectation in gossip magazines] is a "gloomjoy".

Judging from the popularity of gossip magazines like the National Enquirer, I fathom there are a lot more gloomjoys around than there are sadists. That's a good thing ... I guess. [It probably keeps some gloomjoys from evolving into sadists.]






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Thanks. I knew I came to the right place.


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Schadenfraulein and Schadenfrauboy. It's stretch, but, hey, it's early.


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Schadenfraulein and Schadenfrauboy

Good one, Wordwind.

People who haze college freshman are known as Schadenfratboys.

re "It's stretch, but, hey, it's early."

Hey, it's always a good thing to stretch first thing in the morning. We humans could learn a thing or two from cats -- and not just about cat naps.

At Cat Tech everyone practices catastenics before they make a feline to the cateteria for breakfast.

They call it the pause which refreshes.






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What's a word that means "delight in another person's misfortune"?

Thanks. I knew I came to the right place.

__________________________________________________

Uh, maybe I'm just a little bit overly suspicious but...uh,
what exactly does a person named Darkpond mean when
he says I've come to the right place? _________________




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what exactly does a person named Darkpond mean when
he says I've come to the right place?


The enigma is likely to remain an enigma, themilum.

Darkpond can't see his own reflection.

Aside to Darkpond: That's not really a reflection on you. I'm just trying to be funny. If you don't enjoy my sense of humor, don't worry about it. No-else does either.

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What good luck! I am signing onto a thread that has 7 replies and 77 views...777.

Now Darkpond, don't you go take Plutarch's proverbs too literally. On occassion he says things just for the effect! But on the whole he's a pretty good fellow, his problem is the same as many guys who have been bright since birth - he thinks in absolutes.

For example look over in Fun & Games where all the kats and Chicks are singing and laughing and playing Hogwash.
Do you see Plutarch over there joining in the fun?
Of course not. Plutarch will tell you that he doesn't join the frivolities because he is not wanted over there,
and there-in lies the crux - he is right, some don't want him over there, but some do.

Meanwhile Plutarch plays the martyr...overtly.
Invertly Plutarch leads a tilt at the windmills of his own very good mind.


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there-in lies the crux - he is right, some don't want him over there, but some do

I guess that's my crux to bear, themilum.

Dear Darkpond, if you think this is a mixed review of Plutarch's virtues, I should warn you in advance [as a "Stranger"], it doesn't get any better than this.

In fact, some people think themilum is my sock puppet. But themilum insists it isn't true.




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