Schadenfreude

schadenfreude |ˈ sh ädənˌfroidə| (also Schadenfreude)
noun
pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune.
ORIGIN German, from Schaden ‘harm’ + Freude ‘joy.’

I’m thinking about these raucous health care forums and the anger and distrust of those against national health care. It’s a shame because I doubt that these people are dumb or ignorant or uncivilized, though they are portrayed that way on TV. They are, however and unfortunately, being needlessly provoked by political pundits who disagree with Obama’s politics. I’ll be the first to admit that this probably isn’t so different from the way anti-war liberals approached Bush and the republicans when we went into Iraq. We all remember the innumerable protests, the calls to action by liberal pundits, and the anger and name-calling by protestors, even as Bush was inaugurated for the second time. I suppose, in a way, being anti-war is sexy while being anti-health care is…well, I don’t think anything health care-related can ever be sexy.

So I wonder why people like Sarah Palin are trying their best to delay and obstruct the progress of this health care bill. Each day wasted on dispelling untrue rumors is merely an added expense. And the longer this draws out, the further away from Obama’s original plan we get. No one wants an expensive, ineffective national health plan.

What does this have to do with the German word schadenfreude? Well, I’m struck by how certain republicans are hoping that Obama’s plan fails (and not just in health care, I’m reminded of the Fox news guest who said he hoped that the United States got attacked by terrorists so that Obama would get serious about national security).

No one, not even us godless liberals, went into the Iraq War hoping for it to fail. No one wanted the war to drag out, for it to cost billions of dollars, or for thousands of Americans to die. Anti-war may be sexy, but pro-failure never is.

I think the key word in the definition of schadenfreude is “other” (well, it’s hidden in “another person” but you know what I mean). These national health care opponents are approaching this from the perspective of the other, as if we are not one country. They seem to think that if the national health care plan fails, then they somehow win. As if billions of wasted dollars can ever be considered a win. They should keep in mind that a failed national health care plan hurts us all (and a successful one helps us all). So how could anyone wish for their country to fail? (Perhaps the answer lies in the opposite of schadenfreude, envy…) Why don’t they propose an alternative health plan if this one is so bad? Our current health care system is broken, inefficient, and hurts those who need it most. Ignoring the problem certainly doesn’t do anything.

When Obama was elected he stated boldly that "we are not a collection of Red states and Blue states, we are the United States of America.” I just hope that those who disagree with his politics can at least agree with his words. We need a unified front against an unjust system, not a war of ideals that helps no one. It boggles the mind that Americans can take pleasure at the pain of their own government.

I like to think that a nation’s culture is reflected in its language, and that the lack of an English word for schadenfreude perhaps means that the sentiment doesn’t exist in our country. I hope I’m right.