Schadenfreude

Schadenfreude.  It means: pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others.  What a perfect German word.  Having grown up in a family almost 100% derived from German immigrant stock, I can well understand this concept.  It's that opaque, thrilling joy that strikes when your friend's manuscript gets rejected, or they get a bad review in the paper, or their significant other moves out.  It is that shadowy little hobgoblin that lives in the soul, half black widow, half imp, that perches in the apse opposite hope and sneers and scoffs and even though you turn your back, you can still hear him cackling with idiotic glee.  Schadenfreude.  Oh, and I almost forgot, he has a little square mustache, too.