The Germans call it schadenfreude which, according to Encyclopedia Britannica, combines the words schaden (damage) and freude (joy). In other words, the emotional experience of pleasure in response to one’s misfortune. I, like many of you, am not taking much joy in the ups and downs of this 2023 Red Sox team, however, I am experiencing the feeling of schadenfreude while watching the once proud New York Yankees languish in last place.
I’m 36, which means I’m an old millennial who was a senior in high school when the Red Sox broke the curse.