In my post that I lovely called, "Notes From The Road - Seattle Day 1", I shared my observation that the term Schadenfreude has become the 2006 vocabulary media darling --much like the overused gravitas did in 2000 ( first used widely to explain why Dick Cheney was good for the republican ticket --he brought needed gravitas).
I first read the term in an editorial by Kathleen Parker where she basically spanked people who had turned to blogs for their news.
"Schadenfreude - pleasure in others' misfortunes - has become the new barbarity on an island called Blog. When someone trips, whether Dan Rather or Eason Jordan or Judith Miller, bloggers are the bloodthirsty masses slavering for a public flogging. Incivility is their weapon and humanity their victim. "
Intrigued, I decided to keep a watch out for schadenfreude. I've heard it said by the talking heads on cable TV and then today, there it was again. This time in a column in the National Journal written by William Powers. He too was talking about blogs. This time responding to reports that the blog bubble has busted.
"The Chicago Tribune pounced on the blog bust in an editorial dripping with old-media schadenfreude: "You're forgiven if you cling to the conventional wisdom that blogging, like half-pipe snowboarding, enjoys an unrelievedly rich future. Forgiven, but maybe behind the curve."
So now I want to really start tracking schadenfreude. I'm more convinced then ever that this word is going to rival truthiness in the near future.
And so I ask your help. If you see it printed in a newspaper, magazine or online,or if you hear media types using it during their talking heads, add it in the comment section. I will continue to update the list, when I hear someone using schadenfreude to describe the attitude of a particular person, group or political party.
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