# What's your take on these prankster parents? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 16, 2017, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-take-on-these-prankster-parents/784565 "2017-04-16T15:01:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-take-on-these-prankster-parents/784565/61 "2017-05-05T22:46:52Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > [And the consequences have begun](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/03/us/maryland-couple-youtube-prank-videos.html). :eek: Anyone else getting a Tammy Faye vibe from that woman? ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2017, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-take-on-these-prankster-parents/784565/62 "2017-05-09T16:06:36Z")
in contrast, [this is a funny way to prank your kids.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDA3_5982h8) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2017, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-take-on-these-prankster-parents/784565/63 "2017-05-09T18:39:53Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > The Daddy’o five story does not appear on the BBC page that loaded when I clicked your link. [Link to the BBC article](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-39783670). Glad those poor little sods are with someone who hopefully won’t endlessly gaslight them for YouTube views. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-take-on-these-prankster-parents/784565/64 "2017-08-17T03:39:44Z")
[Jail may be in their futures](http://www.insideedition.com/headlines/25007-parents-who-came-under-fire-for-youtube-prank-on-kids-could-face-10-years-in)… ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-take-on-these-prankster-parents/784565/65 "2017-08-17T11:27:07Z")
Is \*schadenfreude \*always wrong? I was ok with scorn and ridicule following them for the rest of their days but if they’re due for a spell in the hoosegow, I’m ok with that too. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-take-on-these-prankster-parents/784565/66 "2017-08-17T19:04:06Z")
> [@minlokwat](#): > > Is \*schadenfreude \*always wrong? Of course not, IMHO. How can you believe in justice and not be happy that justice is being served? I actually do prefer jail for them. I worry that they’d get out of the ostracization by just changing how they look. I know I don’t really remember their faces or anything. I remember the kids, but not them. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-take-on-these-prankster-parents/784565/67 "2017-08-17T19:10:54Z")
I’m horrified, my heart is breaking for those sweet kids. The stupidity of some people is mind blowing. They not only abused the children but posted it all over the Internet. The bs that it was acting, etc is a lie and a stupid one at that. I hope all the kids are removed from the home. Any word on what charges the parents are facing? I’m not an attorney but there has got to be some first degree child abuse/endangerment charges there. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-take-on-these-prankster-parents/784565/68 "2017-08-17T22:49:00Z")
From the article linked to yesterday, “Michael and Heather Martin have been charged with two counts each of neglect of a minor”. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-take-on-these-prankster-parents/784565/69 "2017-08-18T18:28:10Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Of course not, IMHO. How can you believe in justice and not be happy that justice is being served? That’s not schadenfreude, which is [defined](https://www.google.com/search?biw=1920&bih=1075&q=schadenfreude+meaning&oq=shadenf&gs_l=psy-ab.1.1.0i10k1l4.537514.539099.0.540997.7.7.0.0.0.0.242.665.5j1j1.7.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..0.7.660...0j35i39k1j0i67k1j0i131k1j0i20k1.BIITbb7D-Zo) as > [@](#): > > scha·den·freu·de > ˈSHädənˌfroidə > noun > pleasure derived by someone from another person’s misfortune. That is more closely related to vengeance or sadism than justice. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-take-on-these-prankster-parents/784565/70 "2017-08-18T20:37:36Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > That’s not schadenfreude, which is [defined](https://www.google.com/search?biw=1920&bih=1075&q=schadenfreude+meaning&oq=shadenf&gs_l=psy-ab.1.1.0i10k1l4.537514.539099.0.540997.7.7.0.0.0.0.242.665.5j1j1.7.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..0.7.660...0j35i39k1j0i67k1j0i131k1j0i20k1.BIITbb7D-Zo) as > > That is more closely related to vengeance or sadism than justice. I don’t see any contradiction at all. The justice in this particular situation is enjoying the the misery of someone who is being punished for doing something bad. Both sadism and vengeance, as I use them, would require me to have actively caused bad things to happen to them. (Vengeance would be the more tolerable of the two, as it could be used for justice purposes. Sadism can’t be.) I honestly can’t imagine feeling _shadenfreude_ except at seeing bad people have bad things happen to them, whether due to karmic justice or real justice. The only reason I can be happy at someone else’s misery is if I think they deserved it. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-take-on-these-prankster-parents/784565/71 "2017-08-18T21:13:48Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I don’t see any contradiction at all. The justice in this particular situation is enjoying the the misery of someone who is being punished for doing something bad. > > Both sadism and vengeance, as I use them, would require me to have actively caused bad things to happen to them. (Vengeance would be the more tolerable of the two, as it could be used for justice purposes. Sadism can’t be.) > > I honestly can’t imagine feeling _shadenfreude_ except at seeing bad people have bad things happen to them, whether due to karmic justice or real justice. The only reason I can be happy at someone else’s misery is if I think they deserved it. There is not a commonly used direct equivalent in English, I gave examples of words that are closer to the definition than “justice”. [Wiki says](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schadenfreude). > [@](#): > > “Epicharikaky” is a seldom used direct equivalent, borrowed from Greek epichairekakia (ἐπιχαιρεκακία, first attested in Aristotle[3]), from ἐπί epi ‘upon’, χαρά chara ‘joy’, and κακόν kakon ‘evil’.[4][5][6][7] It may also be spelled “epicaricacy”.[8]…“Sadism” specifically involves the subject deriving pleasure from personally inflicting the usually physical but also just as likely emotional, social, economic pain on another, whereas Schadenfreude is defined merely but the observance of usually only the humiliation or embarrassment of that other. if you choose use the term otherwise, that 's your call. It does tend to muddy the waters a bit, though. Kind of like these parents defining their pranks as “harmless”. I’m always happy to see justice done but seldom feel schadenfreude, especially as I get older. ---
**Author:** ![Covfefe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ee7513/32.png) [@Covfefe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covfefe)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-take-on-these-prankster-parents/784565/72 "2017-08-20T04:06:15Z")
If anyone wants to gawk, it looks like a month ago the husband and wife started making videos again on her channel (MommyOFive), just them, no children involved. Most of these video titles contain the word “prank” or something akin to that. What a life. If they get probation they’ll have more of the same to look forward to. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-take-on-these-prankster-parents/784565/73 "2017-08-21T11:50:20Z")
I’m not defining words otherwise. I’m narguing that one inherently involves the other. If you are happy that something bad happened to someone, then you are experiencing schadenfreude. Justice is but one reason this can happen, and clearly what the person I was talking to was referring to. If someone feels schadenfreude for other reasons, then then that person would be a jerk, yet schadenfreude is not used only to describe the feelings of assholes. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-take-on-these-prankster-parents/784565/74 "2017-08-21T19:12:09Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I’m not defining words otherwise. I’m narguing that one inherently involves the other. If you are happy that something bad happened to someone, then you are experiencing schadenfreude. Justice is but one reason this can happen, and clearly what the person I was talking to was referring to. > > If someone feels schadenfreude for other reasons, then then that person would be a jerk, yet schadenfreude is not used only to describe the feelings of assholes. Please, don’t start. Just for once, let it go. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-take-on-these-prankster-parents/784565/75 "2017-08-21T21:04:44Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > schadenfreude is not used only to describe the feelings of assholes. Anyone who tries to feel my assshole will be cruising for a bruising. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-take-on-these-prankster-parents/784565.md?page=3)