On Schadenfreude (was: Re: Láadan )

Nik writes:

>  > I don't understand what you don't understand (sorry).  Surely one can
>>  feel just about any emotion (joy, anger, grief, contentment . . .)
>>  for either a good reason or for a bad reason.
>
>How can one feel content for a bad reason?  That's what I don't
>understand.  I suppose "joy for a bad reason" would be like
>Schadenfreud.
Don't watch a lot of soap operas, do we? Beyond Schadenfreude and
revenge, there must be a gamut of similar emotions where the soap
opera bitch diva raises a provocative eyebrow and smiles/sneers at
the carnage she has wreaked. And why do maniacal villains chronically
cackle at their criminally destructive exploits?

Kou