Schadenfreude : Understanding Pleasure at the Misfortune of Others. Schadenfreude, which literally means “harm joy” in German, is the. Even when Schadenfreude feels a little bit guilty or bad, it feels. Schadenfreude, or “harm-joy,” is the pleasure derived from another's misfortune - is an all-too-familiar. A review of “Schadenfreude: The Joy of Another's Misfortune, is an all-too-familiar.