Why is it wrong to take pleasure in the misfortunes of others?

[ajaxfetish]

I think I'd come at it the same direction gaelic cowboy did. We are very social critters, and we rely on each other to be successful and live well. We depend on others helping to care for us, so we reward behavior that shows concern for the welfare of others. When someone shows pleasure at the misfortune of another, that is a warning sign that they lack empathy. Perhaps they would be less likely to behave in a way that would benefit you. I don't think it has anything to do with the specific instances involved. Logically, it may make sense to take pleasure in a given instance of misfortune, and as you note, the act of taking pleasure itself certainly doesn't cause harm. I think we just subconsciously treat it as a symptom of antisocial tendencies, a sign of undesirable character traits, which could prove harmful to the greater society or any of the individuals living within it. Just my speculation, though. I could of course be way off.

Ajax