The English language needs a new word. The Germans have the word

[hedgehog]

Schadenfreude which implies pleasure at another's misfortunes or downfall. I'm looking for a word to capture the combination of chagrin and "I told you so" that ensues when you have fought against an action, predicted the outcome, and now watch your prediction come true. It's not schadenfreude because you're not glad bad things are happening.

[closeupready]

1. Nightmarish.

That's the best I can think of.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

2. oh...

never mind.

[skypilot]

3. I can't think of just one word to describe it but...

...Cassandra, from Greek mythology comes to mind. She was the one who was cursed with being able to predict the future but to never have anyone believe her. I tried to come up with a phrase that incorporates her name but I can't come up with anything that doesn't sound clunky.

On edit: Something like "Cassandra's peeve".

[krispos42]

17. I see what you're saying

Cassandra-freud?

Wikipedia notes a couple of antonyms...

The Buddhist concept of mudita, "sympathetic joy" or "happiness in another's good fortune," is cited as an example of the opposite of schadenfreude. Alternatively envy (or its German near-equivalent "Glückschmerz"), which is unhappiness in another's good fortune, could be considered the counterpart of schadenfreude. Completing the quartet is "unhappiness at another's misfortune", which may be termed empathy, pity or compassion.

The transposed variant "Freudenschade" seems to have been multiply invented to mean sorrow at another person's success.

Although empathy, pity, and compassion don't feel quite right.

[skypilot]

19. This is turning into kind of a brain-teaser.

Empathy, pity and compassion don't quite evoke the frustration and even anger that I think the OP is looking for in the word that we've so far failed to coin or identify.

[krispos42]

27. Cassifreud!

:-)

Since Cassandra was inherently fustrated at knowing how things will turn out and not listened to when she warned others, we simply have to turn "Cassandra" into a regular noun somehow.

According to Wikipedia, "abstract" nouns are often made from "concrete" nouns by adding -ness, -ity, or -tion.

Cassandrity?

[donco6]

4. Smug? But that has a negative connotation.

And I don't think it's warranted in this case.

[slackmaster]

5. We already have a word that means exactly the same as Schadenfreude

The word is...















drum roll...











schadenfreude
One entry found.


Main Entry: scha·den·freu·de
Pronunciation: \ˈshä-dən-ˌfrȯi-də\
Function: noun
Usage: often capitalized
Etymology: German, from Schaden damage + Freude joy
Date: 1895
: enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others


http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/schadenfreude

[MindPilot]

9. But the OP's point is we need a similar word without the enjoyment connotation

[slackmaster]

10. Ah, that's what I get for posting before my mandatory cup of coffee

I was working until 2:45 AM last night.

How about Cassandra complex?

[MindPilot]

12. Well that explains everything. Say speaking of work...

know of anyone looking to hire a desktop guy?

[slackmaster]

14. We've almost completed the process of torturing our desktop guy to madness

Once he cracks, there may be an opening.

[Hello_Kitty]

6. I could use that word too.

I told everyone who would listen over a year ago what would happen with health care "reform" - that it would be a giant taxpayer giveaway to the insurance industry - but people didn't listen.

[Roland99]

7. Sardonic? But, that, too, has a derisive overtone. Lamenting, perhaps?

[tekisui]

8. Crow server?

[MindPilot]

11. Foretolduso

Pronounced For-toll-DUE-so

A contraction of the past tense of "foretell" and "I told you so".

[alittlelark]

26. +1

[Sal Minella]

34. Excellent. Extra points in the "Clever" column for you today . . . n/t

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

35. Absolutely perfect!

But I have to say I would pronounce it

Fore told you so! I mispronounce everything anyway.

[NashVegas]

13. I Believe It's Called "Gloating"

[skypilot]

15. Gloating has the same connotation...

...of satisfaction that Schaudenfreude has.

[NashVegas]

33. KK

I see others have posted about Cassandra below. Have you never heard the phrase, "playing Cassandra"?

[alfredo]

16. prescience

Main Entry: pre·science
Pronunciation: \ˈpre-sh(ē-)ən(t)s, ˈprē-, -s(ē-)ən(t)s\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin praescientia, from Latin praescient-, praesciens, present participle of praescire to know beforehand, from prae- + scire to know — more at science
Date: 14th century
: foreknowledge of events: a : divine omniscience b : human anticipation of the course of events : foresight
— pre·scient \-sh(ē-)ənt, -s(ē-)ənt\ adjective
— pre·scient·ly adverb

edited to disable smileys

[RaleighNCDUer]

21. We'd be looking for the emotion felt when prescience of a negative event

is borne out in fact, not the prescience itself.

[alfredo]

23. overwhelming ambivalence

[RaleighNCDUer]

18. A word for the bitter satisfaction of 'I told you so' -

it is such a common emotion there MUST be a word for it is some language.

ON EDIT: Anybody know Russian? That has the feel of a very Russian mind set. Just look at Gogol and Tolstoy.

[ChoppinBroccoli]

20. There Is No Word In The English Language To Describe Such A Thing........

..............So I am forced to make one up. And I shall do so now. Scrumtrulescent.

[hedgehog]

22. I like the notion of a word based on Cassandra; that captures the

emotional resonance.

[skypilot]

25. Cassandra' Consternation...

...is the best I can come up with right now. It's a bit long and clunky but at least it's alliterative.

[RaleighNCDUer]

30. Cassiprocity.

The proving correct of dire predictions.

Cassipricious - the bitter satisfaction of having a dire prediction proved right after it was dismissed.

"Let me indulge in some cassiprocity - I was one of those who protested the Iraq invasion."

"I can't help being cassipricious toward the 70% who wanted to invade Iraq."

Derivations - 1) Cassandra 2) Reciprocity: reciprocal state or relationship; mutual action; dependence.

Cassiprocity can only exist as a reaction to a reaction, thus the 'dependence' and 'mutual action'.

[Occulus]

31. Very nice. I think I might try these sometime. n/t

[Stevenmarc]

24. .

[Uncle Joe]

28. Cassancholy

A combination of Cassandra and melancholy.

[RaleighNCDUer]

32. Ohh. I like that one. nt

[Morning Dew]

29. It doesn't apply, but I've liked the term Scheissenbedauern

Scheissenbedauern: ( shit regret)the disappointment one feels when something turns out not nearly as badly as one had expected.


I think it was coined by Joe Queenan in Red Lobster, White Trash and the Blue Lagoon.