It's a known fact: the Pole is happy when his neighbor or even a friend has bad luck. Why is that?
that is normal for everyone.if your friend who lets say was a bin man and who you used to drink cheap cider with won 5mln£ .would be cheering with him?next week you see him drive a new lamborgini and pulling another supermodel and you are still in the same shit-40 hours a week job,the same ugly wife and the same ugly vauxhall astra would you be cheering with him?i doubt it.then suddenly he loses everything because of lets say tax people he fcuked up with. how would you think?would you feel sory for him?i think you would go and buy another cider, kick a wife and shagg a cat-oh sorry the other way round:)to celebrate it
it is called envy and it is inside of everyone of us regards rafik
I noticed that Polish people are very cold. When I show my emotions,they don't comfort me, but get angry. When I cry they say, I am a baby and tell me to grow up. Like they can't show or feel empathy for someone else. I am not crying because I broke my nail, or something ;-)...I cry because I got hurt, when my hart is in pain. Maybe it is because in Poland its a hard life. But I feel missunderstood sometimes.
i would agree with most of the sentiment shown on this topic, there is a bit of 'enjoyment' at others expense and also the Polish as a breed specialise in being selfish, not that they go out of their way to upset or put out others but life is all about 'self self self' they don't mind how they get there, who and what they use to get there as long as they do it.
i know, i take no pleasure in saying what i said at all, it just seems that its the way. I've experienced it and seen it many times. I know you should not generalise but this seems to be a pretty accurate point
Quite. I mean after Seanus and SeanBM started posting Rory Gallagher on the music thread I went home and listened to his music until 3 in the morning...
i would agree with most of the sentiment shown on this topic, there is a bit of 'enjoyment' at others expense and also the Polish as a breed specialise in being selfish.
True but I've also seen them help each other out more than other people. We all have only so much goodwill and Poles probably like to save it all for people they actually know.
I agree with David and others. Envy is scarcely the monopoly of the Poles! The Germans say 'Schadenfreude ist die schoenste Freude.' = Gloating is the sweetest pleasure.
I seem to recall a similar thread on precisely this topic some time back. Or am I mistaken?
In terms of personal jealousies, the French, in my experience, top them all:) LOL
Schadenfreude doesn't meaning gloating I think, ask BB. It comes from schade which means pity. I think u mean misfortune and not gloating tho I could be wrong.
I've been told that Americans, being an ultra materialistic society, are much more this way than the Poles. Isn't this true?
True but I've also seen them help each other out more than other people. We all have only so much goodwill and Poles probably like to save it all for people they actually know.
thats deffinatley true..travelling thro poland ive needed much help from ppl...most of the polish say they dont kno and ignore me...however when i meet family or friends of family they seem to be the nicest ive people ive ever met... the polish like to discriminate on many different criterias including strangers
Misfortunes of others are the very foundation of so called good business practices. "Buy low, sell high" is just one example.
Bankruptcy sales allow for some of the best deals out there. Right here on this forum I read comments by Americans and Brits about how great the times are to buy property in the US now. Well, these properties were inhabited buy families who are now living in the streets.
What about reposessions? Banks make huge amounts of money on those. Sometimes more that if the loan is actually paid of according to a schedule.
What about doctors? Would all of them be really happy if all diseases somehow vanished? Do you really think there would be enough jobs if all cops did was helping the elderly cross the street. Plumbers make money when we found ourselves in... well... deep sh!t. Roofers love leaky roofs. We could go on and on an on, and then we would still have gobs of examples we missed.
A have been told by an American pal of mine: I am not happy with someone's tragedy but I am happy with their misfortunes and failures because they automatically make me look better without a slightest effort on my part.
And as Osiol mentioned, misofortunes of others is one of the best way to make Brits (and not only) laugh.
Pretty much means to delight in the misfortunes of others, but as you say, BB ,I'm sure will erklaren.
A have been told by an American pal of mine
You admit to having an American pal? Careful man. You know there is protocol here. You're a good writer, tabby; I don't believe hate is always on your plate.
Because Polish are individualists. My grandparents and their generation don't feel sorry for anyone. Because compassion is a sign of weakness. And if you're a weak then you can't stay vigilant. Often, if you cry for Pole it's a sign of your weakness. And it doesn't matter if it's family or not. And the reason is our history- when everyone had to fight to survive. Certainly it's a generalization.