When someone else falls on their buttocks in a spectacular display of flailing limbs, or another spills some soup on a pristine white shirt at a fancy office party, aren't these the moments that make life worth it? Commonly enough, most of us will have to suppress a naughty chuckle at the misfortune of others. Is this bad? Not per se. A little article found on MSN.com details research in the field of schadenfreude by the University of Nijmegen. It tells us that the act of feeling good at another's misfortune is a simple mechanism of self-affirmation. Depending on a person's levels of self-esteem, he or she may need a little ego-boost saying "I'm not so bad after all, look at that dolt! I can eat soup better than him/her any day!".

In a study conducted on students who were asked to appraise their level of schadenfreude after reading about a high performing student failing to get a great job, it became clear that the level of mirth at the misfortune of others is heavily dependent on our own levels of confidence. The more threatened or envious one is of another person, because we often assess our own positions to be inferior, the more enjoyment the failure of this person brings. Sounds like stating the obvious, but this information can be used in our daily lives to recognize that often these feelings of glee at the tribulations of others stem from our own hidden feelings of inadequacy. Living with this understanding enables us to feel more empathy for others and to face or address our own failings, which will enable us to grow into more confident people. Nothing wrong with a little chuckle though!

Thanks to Shaun B for the tip, read the whole article here.

Try these books if these kinds of studies and the subject of self-esteem and happiness interest you;

Stumbling Upon Happiness – Daniel Gilbert

The Happiness Hypothesis – Jonathan Haidt

59 Seconds – Richard Wiseman