Experiencing Debtenfreude

Schadenfreude is a German concept that means "taking pleasure in the suffering of others." Columnist Meghan Daum is experiencing 'debtenfreude'; the pleasure in watching house flippers and McMansion builders fall to the economic downturn.

2 minute read

June 8, 2009, 6:00 AM PDT

By Tim Halbur


"Characterized by self-righteous finger-wagging at over-mortgaged neighbors, and downright glee at the site of luxury car owners power washing their own tires at the coin-operated carwash, debtenfreude is at once utterly despicable and utterly human. And though it's not exactly new -- people have been judging the acquisitions of others since the first caveman envied his neighbor's stone tools -- the current strain of debtenfreude seems particularly virulent and widespread.

I think debtenfreude may have started to gain momentum during the Bernard Madoff scandal. Despite public sympathy for the duped investors, you also got the sense that some people were feeling decidedly smug. For all the outrage directed at Madoff himself, there was also a sense that his victims should have known better. "Just about anybody who actually took the time to kick the tires of Mr. Madoff's operation tended to run in the other direction," Joe Nocera of the New York Times wrote in March.

But for all the debtenfreude floating around the Madoff story, the petri dish in which the virus best thrives is the one labeled Other People's Real Estate Fiascoes. Whenever I need a fix of this special blend of callousness and cluelessness, I visit the real estate blog Curbed, which has editions in several cities and provides data and (frequently cantankerous) opinions about local real estate trends. One of the site's regular features, PriceChopper, involves showcasing a property that's had a recent price reduction and asking readers to weigh in on whether it's still overpriced."

Thursday, June 4, 2009 in Los Angeles Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Blue and silver Amtrak train at small station.

Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train

The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.

July 3 - New Orleans City Business

Large spinning swing ride at Chicago's Navy Pier.

The Subversive Car-Free Guide to Trump's Great American Road Trip

Car-free ways to access Chicagoland’s best tourist attractions.

July 3 - Streetsblog Chicago

Aerial view of downtown San Antonio, Texas at night with rotating Tower of the Americas in foreground.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion

The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

July 3 - Governing