We love it when someone gets what's coming to them - whether it's an individual we know personally and dislike, someone from a group we hate, or someone we just generally think is a wrong'un. That's schadenfreude - literally, "joy damage". Grubby, wonderful feeling.

But what does schadenfreude do for us, psychologically? Is it a good and useful thing or a harmful thing? And can it be harnessed - or should it be feared - when trying to do something about the climate crisis?

Joining Dave this episode is Dr Aaron Balick - pyschotherapist, author, academic and all round nice chap. He specialises in applying psychological phenomena to everyday life. You can follow him on twitter @DrAaronB. 

Extra reading as highlighted by the owl noises:
-- 06:03: A YouTube explainer, involving icebergs, of Freud's ideas about the ego, id, and super-ego.
-- 19:41: More on Freud's ideas about projection and  transference.

Your Brain on Climate is a podcast about human psychology vs the climate crisis: what we think, why we think it, and how it all adds up to a planet-sized emergency.  Contact the show:  @brainclimate on Twitter, or [email protected].

The show is hosted by Dave Powell, who you can find @powellds on Twitter.  All original music throughout the show and audio production is by Dave, because he's far too much of a control freak to let anyone else loose on it.

Show logo by Arthur Stovell at www.designbymondial.com.