TDK Schadenfreude

I have always been interested in the psychology of "schadenfreude" (German for "pleasure taken from someone else's misfortune"). I suppose one could get theological with this, and ascribe it to our fallen nature. It certainly seems to be rooted in evil tendencies, as there is no LOGICAL reason someone would be happy someone else is experiencing misfortune.

Since PTC only accounts for about 1/3rd of the total Fayette population, it is probable that many of those who blog here are not PTC residents, and are simply jealous of this beautiful city. Hence the vicious comments we see about the citizens, who by and large are some of the nicest people I have ever met. I guess the fact that PTC residents are wealthier, better educated, and generally a good looking group of people, engenders a lot of bitterness. Hence the hatred towards us, as we all see our little city crumbling from a friendly (planned) village into a morass of endless concrete and a traffic hell created by high density development all around us. TDK becomes a way, perversely, for these people to laugh at us...as we lose our (relative) utopia to those who will sell this town out for the almighty dollar.

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Submitted by Cranky Princess on Tue, 10/03/2006 - 8:38am.

While hoping your "observation" was written tongue in cheek, I must protest.

I live quite happily in Unincorporated Fayette County and have never wanted to live in PTC although I have had the opportunity. I do have many friends who live there and have never felt envy for their addresses. In fact, I personally prefer the acreage that goes with my house. I don't know how people can live on top of each other as I have seen in PTC, Fayetteville and Tyrone. To each his own I guess.

Might I add that I also received my copy of the Readers Digest that featured Schadenfreude and other German words used in our American vocabulary.

Voice of Fayette Future's picture
Submitted by Voice of Fayett... on Mon, 10/02/2006 - 7:52pm.

This is a little bit scary, Sandy Sue....Just this weekend I was thinking about Schadenfreude. Wow...Even googled it...

Schadenfreude is a pyschology term "borrowed" from German since there is no English equivalent. You are right--- it means to take pleasure from someone else's failure. It is a projection of one's own inadequacies and one's own failures. Does it exist? Just ask an Auburn fan or an Alabama fan why they enjoy watching the other team lose to another team, even when there is absolutely nothing on the line. Hitler's intimates claimed that his sense of humor was exclusively Schadenfreude.

A good example is Mudcat. Never contributing any positive thought, insight or research, Mudcat's postings are exclusively personal attacks. See below. Typical. "You're Sandy Sue--- You're Jimmy Jones---etc, etc. "

PTC Schadenfreude ??? You bet. When PTC registered golf
carts, they assured us we wouldn't be taxed. The Old Fayette crowd got a good Schadenfreude chuckle when we did.


Submitted by Kathleen on Mon, 10/02/2006 - 7:05pm.

Probably wealthier, maybe better educated, but definitely not better looking! I have seen some mighty ugly people on the golf cart trails! Smiling

ILuvFayette's picture
Submitted by ILuvFayette on Mon, 10/02/2006 - 9:49pm.

where's your picture to show what a beautiful looking person you are???? Those that speak so lowly of others usually don't have much to show for themselves!!! Even if you have beauty on the outside, you just showed how ugly you are on the inside.


Submitted by skyspy on Mon, 10/02/2006 - 10:20pm.

I think the "ugly people" comment was directed at the people who are the source of crime on the paths. Not the physical beauty, but the awful behaviour.
You know: stealing golf carts,.. driving fast trying to run people over,.. using drugs and alcohol while driving,.. cursing everyone you pass,... shooting fireworks at them,... causing property damage on any easy target,.. selling drugs, and using them on the paths, because you think(?) your parents will never know(or care), which the care part you are right about. They could care less as long as they don't have to be burdened with looking after you.

That is ugly!

Submitted by Kathleen on Mon, 10/02/2006 - 10:10pm.

Angel or Devil?...Okay, I've decided. Your a devil because you have no sense of humour! I was just joking, all in good fun. I don't even use the golf cart trails. I don't have a golf cart, and even if I did I am too chicken to use the trails alone. I feel safer in my car. As far as a picture, I would love to be able to post my real picture and my last name to get to know others in the community, but by reading some of the postings on this website I know that would not be safe to do because a lot of people take things too seriously and might drive by my house and shoot or something! Smiling And, no I don't think I am good looking, but I do think all women are beautiful and all men are ugly! (For the men, that was another joke...)

ILuvFayette's picture
Submitted by ILuvFayette on Tue, 10/03/2006 - 8:56am.

for her post. She is 15 and very sensitive. She is also very beautiful inside and out (the typical blonde and green eyes). She volunteers with senior citizens and disabled children so she does have a very big heart. Her best friend gets teased at school quite a bit by the popular kids(people that my daughter has a choice to hang with but chooses not to just because of their insistance of teasing those that they feel do not look like they do)because she isn't pretty enough for them. When my daughter rea your post, she thought about what her friend has to go through at school. She really does feel bad for her comments. I have changed my password so she can't use my account again, lol.


Submitted by Kathleen on Tue, 10/03/2006 - 7:23pm.

I just wanted to make it clear that I was only joking when I responded to her posting. Your daughter sounds like a lovely person and she was right. People who talk bad about other people's looks are ugly on the inside, but I was only joking!

muddle's picture
Submitted by muddle on Tue, 10/03/2006 - 6:43am.

Kathleen,

As a man, I deeply resent that remark.

Where is your humanity? Where is your common decency? Where is...
....

I'm just pulling your chain. I saw what you were up to in the earlier post from the "git go." (Surrounding your comment with smiley faces might have been a clue.)Smiling

--

Photo: Cocoa Beach, Sept. '06


Submitted by PTCGA1 on Mon, 10/02/2006 - 9:35pm.

Kathleen,

As Shaun Hannity says, let not your heart be troubled. These ugly cart path people are generally not citizens of PTC. My recent research (got a federal grant) shows:

60% are fat good 'ole boys with crew cuts who bought a lot of land in Coweta County near PTC. They are scouting out new highway access from Coweta to the Fayette road system. Cart paths can be 4-laned, you know.
25% are apartment complex developers.
10% are elected officials in PTC and Fayette County...
leaving only 5% of the ugly cart path people to be average PTC citizens, which is far below the national average of 23%.

just thought you would want to know..

Submitted by Kathleen on Tue, 10/03/2006 - 7:26pm.

Smiling

muddle's picture
Submitted by muddle on Mon, 10/02/2006 - 8:01pm.

I saw a bumper sticker yesterday that is to the point:

"I may be fat, but you're ugly...and I can diet."

--

Photo: Cocoa Beach, Sept. '06


Submitted by Kathleen on Tue, 10/03/2006 - 7:33pm.

Funny! When I was a kid my mother put a bumper sticker on my dad's truck that said "I'm fat, ugly, and my wife beats me!" for a joke. I remember he got a lot of comments on it and he kept it on there until he bought a new vehicle. He enjoyed people's reactions when they read it. It made people laugh.

mudcat's picture
Submitted by mudcat on Mon, 10/02/2006 - 6:52pm.

I think you may have put yourself out there as a target, sandysuesaveourcitywhatevername you are using.

Fayette Countians are not jealous of PTC - instead they despise it for ruining their rural lifestyle. Most of the old timers would wish we would go away.

None of them are jealous of us at all.
meow


Submitted by PTCGA1 on Mon, 10/02/2006 - 9:23pm.

26,000 City of McIntosh vehicles/day (99% guaranteed to be SUVs!)rumbling through PTC will kind of look like the Talladega Speedway. The REAL fun will be the building supply trucks, sod trucks, and concrete trucks on their way to the new Coweta apartment complexes. I especially love the concrete mixers...they'll splatter concrete for miles on Highway 74, Crosstown, and TDK, and after it cures it will be really fun to drive over (FOREVER). Thank you mayor and city council!!

Submitted by OldSchoolFootball on Mon, 10/02/2006 - 6:58pm.

'nuff said.

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