"S/he who humbles her/himself will be exalted, but s/he who exalts her/himself will be *humbled."
Schadenfreude - a great, unique German word - with no English equivalent, and perhaps none (or relatively few) in other lingua franca - and moreover with a very unique meaning indeed...
Schadenfreude - the distasteful habit of (however secretly and/or obscurely) delighting in or **gloating over another's misfortune (whether that was or is deserved/'due' or otherwise)...
...and no, in this case I'm relying upon my own memory, not on my otherwise ever trusty dictionary...
One could reasonably enough claim it's a longstanding tendency or attitude of human nature (when observing and considering the plight of those we generally don't like or who have done us wrong suffering some ***untoward calamity); or rather, an instinct if you will - however unpleasant or unsavoury - of what the Good Book refers to (especially throughout the middle of the book of Romans) as unregenerate, carnal, fleshly, unredeemed human nature.
Schadenfreude - something which said Holy Bible makes mention of from time to time, and especially within Solomon's book of wisdom, Proverbs. And, as a pleasant surprise to me, a topic even 'rating' an entire show - or was that several? - on the BBC world radio awhile back...
"So get to the point," you're wanting to interrupt my stream of consciousness and say, "of what specifically speakest thou?"
Okay, in case you didn't 'get it' or catch on from my title - I suppose I'm so close to my subject-matter (see said title) that for me it's obvious as daylight - I'll spell out now what I'm on about...
The topic relates to the recent ****snide as - remarks (probably via *****twitter, his standard means of communication, as we all know) of a certain American President...who has happened of recent days - as indeed majorly in times (recent years) past, to deeply insult - as indeed is his wont, I'll readily grant - the ******'good' people of Puerto Rico...
Not content evidently with his (c/o his Administration's) extremely tardy and hopeless, pathetic as response to the last cyclone to ravage the island (though presently I can't recall its' name), and then claiming (without a shred of evidence) it'd *******only killed a few hundred people as opposed to well-authenticated figures of some 6,000-odd...
...just the other day he really adds insult to injury, suggesting or at least insinuating that it'd serve 'em right (if I recall aright, and admittedly I may have things marginally askew here) if this latest one hits 'em hard...
But guess what? - and yes, Yours Truly *********commented thereabouts only two blogposts back - said tropical cyclone has given Puerto Rico a wide berth...though things aren't looking so good for the Florida coast (as they weren't for the Bahamas, I believe, though there've been few reports of *******'major' death or destruction there, far as I've heard).
So, call it supreme poetic irony that Hurricane Dorian has now changed course, and is right on course for President Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club Resort in Palm Beach, Florida...-indeed, call that the understatement of our times...
So don't you tell me the One Above doesn't have a - superlative, unsurpassed - sense of humour!
So, gloat over your (political) 'enemy's' misfortune(s) all you will - and then some - but be ye warned:
with what measure ye mete out, it will [one day] be meted out to you...with what judgment ye judge, ye will be judged.
Yes, know for all that - those flippant, idle words you so carelessly and thoughtlessly uttered -
God will [yet - yes, He's got plenty of time, a whole eternity in front of Him!] bring you into judgment...
...and that judgment without [any] mercy [whatsoever] will be to the one who has shown no mercy.
Incidentally, though it couldn't be more relevant in this particular context, I've written previously on two-three-four occasions about this divine sense of humour, and indeed applied it specifically to 'the Donald'...as my own (admittedly idiosyncratic) reading of The Bible suggests is eminently feasible, even appropriate. Including one not all that long ago about the Deity indeed having the last laugh, and at a certain prominent individual's expense...
But for your benefit, and to save us both the hassle of uncovering where in my blogpostville that most recent blogpost anyway is located...I'll briefly reprise, requoting said biblical text - mind you, only in the King James Version of said scriptures:
As the Apostle Paul outlined the future trajectory of Jesus Christ's majestic re-entry to Planet Earth, he penned these words:
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump...for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed...
And elsewhere, as he counsels the Thessalonian believers, awaiting that glorious rapture of the church, to **********'sorrow not, even as others which have no hope', he goes on to declare:
For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout[,]with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God...
Yes, in the not too distant, indeed in the fairly foreseeable, He'll indeed 'have the last word'. In all our lives - yes, including yours, Mr Trump...
Nuff Said.
*Although this could well be expressed as 'humiliated/put to shame'. And yes, I've expressed Jesus' words in a back-to-front fashion, for obvious reasons (i.e. the latter being my especial emphasis here); and, yes, the original (Greek/Hebrew) text doesn't provide such gender neutral references.
*Something my brother ever, invariably 'ribbed' me for doing - by what he referred to as (or implied was) a slight, subtle as smirk...whenever, as I evidently tended to do, I beat him (soundly? - I can't recall precisely, but anyway) at ye good 'ole game of chess (in our childhood)...
***Though, yes, as I immediately realized after writing that, and moreover as my oft-quoted aforementioned Chambers Concise Dictionary affirms, that goes without saying...'untoward' meaning, among other things - 'unlucky: unfavourable'...
However another meaning of untoward - 'unfitting' - does apply, and with literal spades, to the rest of my above blogpost...
****Defined by said Dictionary as 'base: mean...derogatory in an insinuating way: showing malice' -rather than its primary meaning (evidently - at least 30-some years ago) of 'sham: counterfeit... dishonest' - yes, well realizing that the first two of those other meanings have oftentimes - and with good reason - been applied numerous times to the - personal - subject of this blogpost!
*****Which one wag - if not several - have remarked (which admittedly occurred to me as well, early on in its use/misuse/abuse) that twitter is for twits. End of story. Unless - to secure myself against thus insulting a substantial proportion of my readership! - you've actually got something worthwhile to say....
******As regular readers well know, and as Jesus Himself responded when accosted by the rich young ruler, (I believe) 'there is none [truly] good but God alone'.
*******Again, as regular readers well know, this punter considers any death significant, the media's longstanding habit of number ranking such things - whether natural disasters, wartime death tolls, rampages and armed massacres by crazed (American and other) ********gunmen etcetera...being deeply disturbing/problematic to me, even if upon one level 'understandable'...though (if you see my subsequent paragraph), I seem to almost immediately contradict myself when using the word 'major'. Yes, we're all affected by the way language is used, I'll readily grant, so what can I say...?
********I suppose, to be entirely gender-neutral (as elsewhere) I ought to say 'gun(wo)men', however as we all know the number of such is so minimal as to be almost nonexistent...
...though in so saying, that's not true vis-a-vis the ongoing spate of suicide bombings around our world. And, in (such) a similar vein, I've much to say - already penned furiously (in speed and in intensity of emotion) some time back (but not all yet posted)...concerning the double-standards vis-a-vis female sexual abuse (of minors and schoolkids), and - moreover - vis-a-vis certain prominent politicos (and other 'celebrities') here in NZ and overseas, whose 'misdemeanours' are conveniently overlooked and brushed aside as essentially harmless and good fun whilst the very same oftentimes have few qualms whatsoever about getting on their exceedingly high-flying equinal animal and sticking it to the male of the species left, right and centre, and especially below the belt...
...but especially vis-a-vis a well-known instance in Godzone where many people believe an innocent man was set up by feminazi types and consequently subjected to years of wrongful imprisonment.
A matter of especial interest to Yours Truly, having had experience and training in teacher aiding, and having myself been the object of (relatively minor) 'stuff' (though not without effect, including that I've been rather reluctant to get back into a line of work where very few men - 'surprise, surprise' - will venture to set foot in recent years and decades)...
*********Thanking the good Lord therein for effectively deflecting it from Puerto Rico, and evidently redirecting it elsewhere. And guess where? - Yes sirree, right towards Trump's Floridian playground!
**********No, I don't believe this particular passage is suggesting grieving is somehow wrong or misplaced - much less sinful - and there's good biblical reasons for saying this, but that's for another time...
Schadenfreude - a great, unique German word - with no English equivalent, and perhaps none (or relatively few) in other lingua franca - and moreover with a very unique meaning indeed...
Schadenfreude - the distasteful habit of (however secretly and/or obscurely) delighting in or **gloating over another's misfortune (whether that was or is deserved/'due' or otherwise)...
...and no, in this case I'm relying upon my own memory, not on my otherwise ever trusty dictionary...
One could reasonably enough claim it's a longstanding tendency or attitude of human nature (when observing and considering the plight of those we generally don't like or who have done us wrong suffering some ***untoward calamity); or rather, an instinct if you will - however unpleasant or unsavoury - of what the Good Book refers to (especially throughout the middle of the book of Romans) as unregenerate, carnal, fleshly, unredeemed human nature.
Schadenfreude - something which said Holy Bible makes mention of from time to time, and especially within Solomon's book of wisdom, Proverbs. And, as a pleasant surprise to me, a topic even 'rating' an entire show - or was that several? - on the BBC world radio awhile back...
"So get to the point," you're wanting to interrupt my stream of consciousness and say, "of what specifically speakest thou?"
Okay, in case you didn't 'get it' or catch on from my title - I suppose I'm so close to my subject-matter (see said title) that for me it's obvious as daylight - I'll spell out now what I'm on about...
The topic relates to the recent ****snide as - remarks (probably via *****twitter, his standard means of communication, as we all know) of a certain American President...who has happened of recent days - as indeed majorly in times (recent years) past, to deeply insult - as indeed is his wont, I'll readily grant - the ******'good' people of Puerto Rico...
Not content evidently with his (c/o his Administration's) extremely tardy and hopeless, pathetic as response to the last cyclone to ravage the island (though presently I can't recall its' name), and then claiming (without a shred of evidence) it'd *******only killed a few hundred people as opposed to well-authenticated figures of some 6,000-odd...
...just the other day he really adds insult to injury, suggesting or at least insinuating that it'd serve 'em right (if I recall aright, and admittedly I may have things marginally askew here) if this latest one hits 'em hard...
But guess what? - and yes, Yours Truly *********commented thereabouts only two blogposts back - said tropical cyclone has given Puerto Rico a wide berth...though things aren't looking so good for the Florida coast (as they weren't for the Bahamas, I believe, though there've been few reports of *******'major' death or destruction there, far as I've heard).
So, call it supreme poetic irony that Hurricane Dorian has now changed course, and is right on course for President Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club Resort in Palm Beach, Florida...-indeed, call that the understatement of our times...
So don't you tell me the One Above doesn't have a - superlative, unsurpassed - sense of humour!
So, gloat over your (political) 'enemy's' misfortune(s) all you will - and then some - but be ye warned:
with what measure ye mete out, it will [one day] be meted out to you...with what judgment ye judge, ye will be judged.
Yes, know for all that - those flippant, idle words you so carelessly and thoughtlessly uttered -
God will [yet - yes, He's got plenty of time, a whole eternity in front of Him!] bring you into judgment...
...and that judgment without [any] mercy [whatsoever] will be to the one who has shown no mercy.
Incidentally, though it couldn't be more relevant in this particular context, I've written previously on two-three-four occasions about this divine sense of humour, and indeed applied it specifically to 'the Donald'...as my own (admittedly idiosyncratic) reading of The Bible suggests is eminently feasible, even appropriate. Including one not all that long ago about the Deity indeed having the last laugh, and at a certain prominent individual's expense...
But for your benefit, and to save us both the hassle of uncovering where in my blogpostville that most recent blogpost anyway is located...I'll briefly reprise, requoting said biblical text - mind you, only in the King James Version of said scriptures:
As the Apostle Paul outlined the future trajectory of Jesus Christ's majestic re-entry to Planet Earth, he penned these words:
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump...for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed...
And elsewhere, as he counsels the Thessalonian believers, awaiting that glorious rapture of the church, to **********'sorrow not, even as others which have no hope', he goes on to declare:
For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout[,]with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God...
Yes, in the not too distant, indeed in the fairly foreseeable, He'll indeed 'have the last word'. In all our lives - yes, including yours, Mr Trump...
Nuff Said.
*Although this could well be expressed as 'humiliated/put to shame'. And yes, I've expressed Jesus' words in a back-to-front fashion, for obvious reasons (i.e. the latter being my especial emphasis here); and, yes, the original (Greek/Hebrew) text doesn't provide such gender neutral references.
*Something my brother ever, invariably 'ribbed' me for doing - by what he referred to as (or implied was) a slight, subtle as smirk...whenever, as I evidently tended to do, I beat him (soundly? - I can't recall precisely, but anyway) at ye good 'ole game of chess (in our childhood)...
***Though, yes, as I immediately realized after writing that, and moreover as my oft-quoted aforementioned Chambers Concise Dictionary affirms, that goes without saying...'untoward' meaning, among other things - 'unlucky: unfavourable'...
However another meaning of untoward - 'unfitting' - does apply, and with literal spades, to the rest of my above blogpost...
****Defined by said Dictionary as 'base: mean...derogatory in an insinuating way: showing malice' -rather than its primary meaning (evidently - at least 30-some years ago) of 'sham: counterfeit... dishonest' - yes, well realizing that the first two of those other meanings have oftentimes - and with good reason - been applied numerous times to the - personal - subject of this blogpost!
*****Which one wag - if not several - have remarked (which admittedly occurred to me as well, early on in its use/misuse/abuse) that twitter is for twits. End of story. Unless - to secure myself against thus insulting a substantial proportion of my readership! - you've actually got something worthwhile to say....
******As regular readers well know, and as Jesus Himself responded when accosted by the rich young ruler, (I believe) 'there is none [truly] good but God alone'.
*******Again, as regular readers well know, this punter considers any death significant, the media's longstanding habit of number ranking such things - whether natural disasters, wartime death tolls, rampages and armed massacres by crazed (American and other) ********gunmen etcetera...being deeply disturbing/problematic to me, even if upon one level 'understandable'...though (if you see my subsequent paragraph), I seem to almost immediately contradict myself when using the word 'major'. Yes, we're all affected by the way language is used, I'll readily grant, so what can I say...?
********I suppose, to be entirely gender-neutral (as elsewhere) I ought to say 'gun(wo)men', however as we all know the number of such is so minimal as to be almost nonexistent...
...though in so saying, that's not true vis-a-vis the ongoing spate of suicide bombings around our world. And, in (such) a similar vein, I've much to say - already penned furiously (in speed and in intensity of emotion) some time back (but not all yet posted)...concerning the double-standards vis-a-vis female sexual abuse (of minors and schoolkids), and - moreover - vis-a-vis certain prominent politicos (and other 'celebrities') here in NZ and overseas, whose 'misdemeanours' are conveniently overlooked and brushed aside as essentially harmless and good fun whilst the very same oftentimes have few qualms whatsoever about getting on their exceedingly high-flying equinal animal and sticking it to the male of the species left, right and centre, and especially below the belt...
...but especially vis-a-vis a well-known instance in Godzone where many people believe an innocent man was set up by feminazi types and consequently subjected to years of wrongful imprisonment.
A matter of especial interest to Yours Truly, having had experience and training in teacher aiding, and having myself been the object of (relatively minor) 'stuff' (though not without effect, including that I've been rather reluctant to get back into a line of work where very few men - 'surprise, surprise' - will venture to set foot in recent years and decades)...
*********Thanking the good Lord therein for effectively deflecting it from Puerto Rico, and evidently redirecting it elsewhere. And guess where? - Yes sirree, right towards Trump's Floridian playground!
**********No, I don't believe this particular passage is suggesting grieving is somehow wrong or misplaced - much less sinful - and there's good biblical reasons for saying this, but that's for another time...
No comments:
Post a Comment