Is schadenfreude a natural human trait?

Question

Is schadenfreude a natural human trait?

Answer 1

i believe it is learned.

the ego will amplify this behavior.

shine light on the ego to shrink it.

Answer 2

It is.  It also has a positive aspect as no one wants to be the recepient of it.

Answer 3

I believe it's taught.

As crazy as you may say I am for my next statement, I believe it is due to television and movies, especially cartoons. A prime example would be the the coyote and roadrunner cartoon; you see the coyote constantly trying to catch the roadrunner, but the things he does always backfires and he gets hurt. But, to make light of the moment, there is always something funny that happens, like the coyote holding up a sign that says "help" or anything else that might be comedic. A problem arises when the line of fiction and reality blur and we use the same emotions from a fictional situation in a real situation.

In a similar scenario, people are taught at an early age to resist the fight or flight instinct when watching a movie because it's fiction. My step dad grew up on a farm, where they spent next to no time watching television growing up. Now, as an adult, I've seen him while he watches an action movie and when there's a fight scene, he really gets into it and starts swinging. He forgets that what he's watching isn't real, and therefore becomes a reality to him. His fight or flight instinct is triggered and he responds.

It's in our nature to be helpful and friendly, not spiteful, because friendly people are more acceptable by society. If someone gets hurt, we'll want to help them by instinct, not laugh. We just forget sometimes that what happens is real, not fiction.

Answer 4

Schadenfreude is the result of jealousy. When you're jealous of someone and something unfortunate happens to that person, you feel Schadenfreude. If you think jealousy is a natural human trait, then - by definition - this one is as well.  

Answer 5

unfortunately I think it is...