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Kirsten Mickelwait's avatar

Ha! Thanks for being such a loyal friend (and fan), Arthur. Such comments hurt in the moment but ultimately teach us about how our material lands with a range of readers. All good!

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Josh Gidding's avatar

Kirsty, this rings so true, and really resonates with me. The emotion of schadenfreude, it seems to me, is a kind of parasite that feeds on failure — not only others’ failure, but also, in a curious way, our own. (The idea being that glorying in others’ suffering may be a kind of prophylactic against our own.) You have given me much to think about here. I can’t wait to read your novel.

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Irena Smith's avatar

Yep—schadenfreude is delightful until you get taken down a peg (or five) and then... less delightful. As you so pithily put it: "No one gets out unscathed."

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Arthur Booth's avatar

"muster sympathy' - guy was obviously a failed dog trainer. TGM resonated vulnerability from the heart whereas 'muster man' can only conjure a wisecrack - an attempt at a moral justification of inequality. Boo Hoo dog man. You did good. Keep going.

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