‘The pleasure of a chancer unmasked’: why we are living in the age of schadenfreude

Watching the misfortunes of Boris Johnson or Novak Djokovic is deliciously satisfying - and unmistakably human. But is it wrong to submit to our basest instincts?

No one is especially shy about the anger they feel about the partygate shambles in Downing Street, nor should they be. We are all a bit more discreet, though, about how enjoyable it is to watch the prime minister's downfall. It hits every base of funny, from the slapstick to the surreal; a comedy home run. But there is something delicious here that is richer than humour. To see a chancer unmasked is a very particular pleasure.

Likewise, I would happily give you my thoughts on the international tennis elite and their stance on vaccination. But why it was so droll to see Novak Djokovic detained in and then deported from Australia I would struggle to say; I never had anything against the man.