Tears Of The Clowns
14th August 2020
ZMan’s weekly podcast.
I read a study once that claimed that people who enjoyed the suffering of their enemies were healthier and happier. Things like schadenfreude and revenge fantasies are not only normal, but part of a healthy lifestyle. Seeing bad people suffer, even slightly, reinforces our sense of justice, which in turns gives us confidence that the world does operate by a fixed set of rules. The suffering of the wicked confirms those ordinary modes of thoughtJohn Derbyshire described.
Fishing around for material this week, I stumbled upon some stories that brought a smile, because they featured the unhappiness of bad people. Naturally, I thought a whole show on the suffering of the wicked was a good idea. It is easy to succumb to self-pity and despair, so it is important to look at the bright side of life on occasion in order to avoid those temptations. Given what faces us this fall, there will be plenty of time for weeping and gnashing of teeth.