Schadenfreude

In My Humble Opinion
1

What are your thoughts on schadenfreude?

I’m asking because right now I’m embroiled in an instance stemming yet again from IIC. If you scroll down toward the end, you’ll see the last update where I mention that IIC Mom had a heart attack over a week ago.

Well, because IIC broadcasts her personal life far and wide, we all now know that IIC Mom possibly has a form of dementia. This past week everyone’s been subjected to IIC rationalizing aloud why she cannot take care of her, ranging from the practical (she needs her job) to the selfish (IIC loathes anyone but her son sharing her space). IIC has two sisters who, for assorted reasons, aren’t the best choices to take care of IIC Mom. IIC Brother lives too far away.

You see my drift, don’t you?

I didn’t mention this in the Pit, but one of the things IIC has always railed on me about is hubby and I taking care of Kiz Mom. Now, for those of you who don’t know, Kiz Mom is in mid-stage Alzheimer’s. We live with her with no support from either Mr. Kiz’s extended family or mine. Mr. Kiz has been freelancing for the past few years in order to stay home with Kiz Mom. He’s also better suited to the caregiving role than I. How we’ve managed to survive this long on my semi-meager salary, I have no idea.

I cannot begin to tell you how much I wanted to whoop it up, throw confetti, and spit in IIC’s face when she announced all this.

I cannot begin to tell you how much I still want to dance, scream “HAHAHAHA KARMA’S A BITCH, BITCH!” at the top of my lungs.

The kicker? Now IIC’s been hinting around for tips, etc., from moi about how to handle the situation. I know she’ll keep fighting NOT to take in her mom because that’s just how she is.

Ah, how much I love cosmic justice.

I know dementia isn’t anything to laugh about, and I ordinarily wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy…but that’s the sticky point.

I don’t ordinarily go for schadenfreude either except in a detached s/he-had-it-coming kind of way. But I’m relishing this. I’m having a difficult time keeping it to myself. It’s taken all my reserve NOT to laugh aloud. Heh, it’s probably a good thing I’m not working today, or else I’d have to hide in the freezer.

claps hand over mouth yet again so she won’t burst into laughter and startle everyone else in the house

2

Just a suggestion.

Tell IC that neither you or anyone else is remotely interested in her problems.

Tell her take it elsewhere 'cos you really couldn’t give a shit.

That is all

3

“I couldn’t possibly give anyone suggestions on how to run their life.”

4

I doubt many people are proud of schadenfreude, but I think most still feel it. Hell, I do.

My immediate supervisor has a strong tendency to be a foul-mouthed abusive jerk. You know that rule, “a nice guy who’s rude to the waitress isn’t a nice guy”? That’s him. However, he’s yet to learn the difference between people putting up with his behavior because he’s right, and people putting up with his behavior because it’s their job.

It therefore gives warm fuzzies whenever he starts complaining about:

  • Our accountant. In his view, she’s ranked below him, and therefore should take his shit. The fact that she doesn’t, and he can’t do a thing about it, pisses him off like little else. My complete lack of problems in dealing with her can be explained by the fact that I’m (in his words) “too fucking stupid to know what’s really going on.” Yeah, I’m so fucking stupid that I’m got my health insurance paid for by the company just by asking while you’d been paying it out of pocket for the last eight years.

  • Bureaucratic hassles in general. Somehow, he’s never accepted that being friendly and polite to someone who has a less prestigious job can make your life much easier, so whenever he has to deal with someone who’s not obligated to take his shit (immigration, city hall, tax office, etc.), he inevitably can never get a break. Of course, it’s all their fault.

  • His kids. His kids are every bit as rude and foul-mouthed as him, but without needing alcohol to hid their stride. He pisses and moans about their behavior, but never once acknowledges where they’ve obviously picked it up.