Slow Havamal: 128

[kylec]

In verse 128, Odin counsels Loddfafnir not to be happy to hear bad news, but to be cheerful about hearing good news.

Who among us has not at times been delighted to learn of the misfortunes of people we don’t like? Whether politicians, grudges, successful men and women, or annoying relatives, few things bring a secret (or not so secret) cheer to the heart like learning that someone got their comeuppance. But Odin says not to enjoy it too much. Better to get your kicks from tidings of good fortune.

The Germans even have a name for it—of course they would—schadenfreude. Maybe it’s only human to take pleasure from others’ misery. It can serve as a sign that there is justice in the world, at least as we perceive it. Or it elevates our own status by bringing others down to our level. Sometimes, the unfortunate victim has nothing to do with us, but we revel in a bit of juicy gossip or an interesting story. I’m especially thinking of reality shows that succeed on voyeuristic pleasure in others’ drama, or popular true crime series and podcasts in which you’ll have a hell of a slog to convince me that the appeal isn’t just the gossip instinct raised to life-and-death stakes.

Even if it feels like the calamity righted a wrong done by a bad person, there is something harmful about enjoying another person’s misery. To an extent, we participate in it. Savoring in images of another’s suffering would have been tantamount to witchcraft in another time. In fact, we aren’t so good at knowing what’s fair or not, especially in something as complex as a human life. Nor do human notions of justice necessarily apply to the wider-than-human cosmos, and what we see as right may be quite unsavory, or even just neutral stuff.

To delight in others’ harm is only a step short of partaking in it. We will all come to harm many times on our lives, fairly or not. Even when we deserve it by our own estimations, we would probably like others to have compassion and forgiveness rather than salivating at our displeasure.

Instead of enjoying the misfortunes of those we don’t like, our attention is better spent in mutual celebration with those who we appreciate. A joy is always sweeter shared. In many ways, we are what we focus our attention on. Do we really want to live in a world where every perceived sleight is punished swiftly and viciously, including for us? Or would be prefer to fill ourselves with happiness and well-wishes, where past transgressions are allowed to slide away in the ineffable flux of human collision? If what goes around comes around, I, for one, would rather be in line for the latter. That’s an easy thing to say, and a lifetime of work to ingrain in my deepest and most automatic responses.