I like the German word “Schadenfreude,” meaning to take joy in another’s misfortune.

I like the idea that a person can be so in touch with their dark side that they can express that bit of pettiness in a single word. So much of language is obfuscation and deceit. Southerners use four words (i.e. “God bless his soul”) to say a person is an idiot, and – even then – the meaning is masked.

Schadenfreude is authentic, and we need more authenticity in language.