There’s a sickness in human nature, which we don’t like to name. But it’s there, lurking under fake smiles and empty sympathies. Schadenfreude (Epicaricacy). That smug little thrill when someone stumbles. That tiny, shameful high when a powerful figure crumbles. That whisper of satisfaction when a peer fails at something we didn’t even attempt.

You see it everywhere. The hushed murmurs at funerals - where some silently exhale, relieved it wasn’t their loss. The forced condolences, the empty words, the unspoken comfort that grief has chosen someone else, at least for now. People mourn, but some part of them thanks the universe for skipping their turn. 

And then there’s the coldest version of Schadenfreude - not just enjoying someone’s failure, but pretending they don’t exist. The deliberate act of ignoring, excluding, or refusing to acknowledge someone, knowing full well that silence can wound deeper than words. It’s a passive way to inflict pain, to strip someone of dignity without even lifting a finger.

It’s not just a passing emotion - it’s an instinct, a parasite feeding off other people’s setbacks. We dress it up as justice, karma, or “they had it coming.” But let’s be honest - most of the time, it’s got nothing to do with fairness and everything to do with our pathetic insecurities.

Why do we feel it - because watching others fail makes us feel less small, less mediocre, less invisible. We cling to the idea that someone else’s downfall, is proof we’re somehow ahead. It’s not. It’s just proof that we’re addicted to comparison, wired to measure our worth against the wreckage of others.

Social media? It’s a schadenfreude factory. Entire industries exist just to tear people down for sport. Public failures become content, misfortunes become memes, and we laugh, judge, and scroll past someone’s worst moment like it’s a punchline. But guess what? Your turn is coming. We all trip. We all fall. And when you do, those who laughed with you will laugh at you.

So what’s the antidote? Emotional Intelligence. Not the watered-down “be kind” version, but the real, raw, powerful kind. The kind that makes you own your insecurities instead of feeding off others. The kind that makes you level up instead of leeching off failure. The kind that forces you to build yourself up instead of waiting for others to fall.

Because here’s the truth: Schadenfreude is the drug of the weak. Emotional Intelligence is the weapon of the strong. You choose what to master.