Hannah Farrell
she/her
Schadenfreude: Someone Loves to See You Suffer
"Schadenfreude" delves into the realm of incels, initially conceived as a critique but evolving into a deeper exploration of empathy. From going undercover as an incel in Discord servers, I witnessed extreme hatred towards anyone that wasn't a straight, white, cis-gendered male and experienced great deals of threats and harassment each time I revealed I was a woman.
However, through interacting with these lonely men, I discovered profound struggles of individuals grappling with mental illness and neurodivergence, driving them towards hateful online discourse and self-pitying cycles. Amidst this, I encountered a disturbing fascination within a niche community: men revelling in self-defence videos depicting women's vulnerability.
This revelation led me to explore the term "schadenfreude," encapsulating the pleasure derived from others' suffering. "Schadenfreude" confronts the complexities of empathy, grappling with the conflicting emotions of empathising with those who resist help and understanding the origins of hatred.
#selfdefenceboner, still image
#selfdefenceboner, NCAD Works 2025 exhibition, two screen installation view
#selfdefenceboner, still image
movement#137, still image
#selfdefenceboner, still image
NCAD Works 2025 exhibition, installation view
Research
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