Sometimes I feel that the Republican Party, recognizing that it never can legitimately get a majority of Americans to support it, knows that it is dying, and has decided to take the rest of the country down with it, rather than change. (Their hidden leadership, so well documented by Jane Mayer, envisions an authoritatian takeover of the nation's remnants at that point.)
I'm not arguing the definition of schadenfreude. I'm arguing that the conduct of Republican governors is more than schadenfreude--it's sadistic. But there's a lot more involved in quest for money and power than an emotional state.
It's all very simple. Those who possess a disproportionate share of the nation's wealth are interested in keeping it, or at least keeping it in their families, and oppose tax reform legistlation which would change that along with the economic structure which enabled them to amass that wealth. It has always been that way. They are willing to generously support candidates who will take their side and not that of the majority who would support tax policies leading to a redistribution of wealth in the country. They don't give a damn about the ethics or morality of those who support them, just so long as they support them, and that includes the support of sadists, to whom they would gladly donate, along with bigots, nazis and downright crooks.
Yes, that's the common denominator across most forms of government, historically and present. Mitigating those Me-My-Mine forces is a challenge for the common good.
It's like they (R's) wake up every morning and think, "what can I do today to hurt someone"?
Sometimes I feel that the Republican Party, recognizing that it never can legitimately get a majority of Americans to support it, knows that it is dying, and has decided to take the rest of the country down with it, rather than change. (Their hidden leadership, so well documented by Jane Mayer, envisions an authoritatian takeover of the nation's remnants at that point.)
I think that is pretty close to accurate.
...and it's so easy to do.
It's a desire to dominate. The other feels bad, so you feel good!
Now get out there and win!
But when a person derives pleasure from actively causing pain to someone else, itтАЩs called sadism.
But if you didn't bring about the person's pain, its schadenfreude.
I'm not arguing the definition of schadenfreude. I'm arguing that the conduct of Republican governors is more than schadenfreude--it's sadistic. But there's a lot more involved in quest for money and power than an emotional state.
It's all very simple. Those who possess a disproportionate share of the nation's wealth are interested in keeping it, or at least keeping it in their families, and oppose tax reform legistlation which would change that along with the economic structure which enabled them to amass that wealth. It has always been that way. They are willing to generously support candidates who will take their side and not that of the majority who would support tax policies leading to a redistribution of wealth in the country. They don't give a damn about the ethics or morality of those who support them, just so long as they support them, and that includes the support of sadists, to whom they would gladly donate, along with bigots, nazis and downright crooks.
Yes, that's the common denominator across most forms of government, historically and present. Mitigating those Me-My-Mine forces is a challenge for the common good.
If you smile internally, with just a touch of guilt, when you read the news such as that found at
https://www.wfla.com/community/health/coronavirus/anti-vaccine-radio-host-in-florida-dies-of-covid-19-complications/
that's schadenfreude.