SCHADENFREUDE.

How beautiful when the winds meet over the sea and the dark vastness of the ocean trembles..... to stand up on the sea shore and see a ship sinking - rejoice in another's woe.....Perhaps this explains the astounding success of the movie “Titanic’. According to my friend Pesach Herschel “schadenfreude’ is a German word and there is no English equivalent. It means pleasure derived from the misfortune of others. Gary Coleman reiterated it in his lyrics and we see it happening all around us. Making fun when figure skaters fall on their asses or laughing heartily when a waitress falls dropping a tray of glasses. It is easy to have an “holier than thou attitude” though you hate the devil you love his antics and enjoy another’s woe and pretend you love god because you wouldn’t have brains enough to doubt and question. We think we are pure due to our beliefs but lack of compassion leads to unhappiness. Unhappiness does not bring people together but draws them apart. The believers think they know and understand everything; the less empathy they have, the broader they imagine their religious outlook. The unhappy believers are egoistic, spiteful, unjust, cruel, and less capable of understanding each other than non believers... The luxurious surroundings the villa, the yachts that bespeak higher cultural status, makes them react wrathfully towards the rich who seem to be happy externally. In the Eastern and Buddhist philosophy there is an opposite to the word “schadenfreude” known as “mudita” or sympathetic joy – which means happiness in another’s good fortune. Pause for a moment and enjoy their success instead of becoming jealous. Explore the possibilities in your life, living wisely as the sages of yore stated lies in discovering your passion and nurturing your talent. Precision, balance and clarity applied to daily life brings bliss. –Vinay-