I feel like an @%$£^&£ because...

Ever getl even a bit of satisfaction about something and then feel guilty about it?

Here's mine: I have a friend from the US who calls me a socialist every time I suggest that the US medical insurance system needs to be overhauled. Not even become socialised, really, but overhauled.

He left his job about six months ago, and his family has been on COBRA since then. Last week he missed a payment, and this morning his insurance was terminated. So his wife has perscriptions that run about $600 a month and he's in the middle of treatment for a broken foot. He actually emailed me this morning complaining how unfair this is. 

I suppose it's kind of unfair to be annoyed at him cause he only has empathy to spare for himself and not tons of other people who are in exact same perdicament. At least he said he has enough savings to afford to go private even though the premiums are going to be nearly 4 times what he was paying before.

All I have to say is if it was that important he wouldn't have missed the payment...sucks sometimes but the responsibility lies with him.

I think thats called Schadenfreude

I think thats called Schadenfreude

It is. But I was too lazy to look up the spelling. What a wonderfully descriptive term, isn't it?

Well, having a mother who goes on non-stop about 'socialized medicine' and all its ills, but who is on Medicare, I wouldn't feel one bit guilty about this, Mort.  I really wouldn't.

I know that's not the 'nice' thing to do, but hey, I don't claim to be a nice person, either. 

Well, having a mother who goes on non-stop about 'socialized medicine' and all its ills, but who is on Medicare, I wouldn't feel one bit guilty about this, Mort.  I really wouldn't.

I know that's not the 'nice' thing to do, but hey, I don't claim to be a nice person, either. 

I knew there was a reason I liked you.

Thing is, even if I think his beliefs lack perspective (need I really add that he's also of the "You're poor cause it's your fault!" school of economic thinking?) now he's still just another sick guy with a sick wife and a young kid and I feel guilty for harbouring "I told you so!" feelings about someone who now has an axe suspended by a hair hanging over his life. 

Although I admit, when I read (and I quote) "Health insurance situation in the US is a disgrace!" in his email this morning, I did want to reach through the screen and wring his neck.

Anyone else have similar stories to confess? Doesn't have to be about medical insurance, obv. Come on, peeps, make me feel better.

I wouldn't feel guilty about it, either .  

After only spending 6 months in the UK and seeing how well people are taken care of....bring on socialized medicine!

Anyone else have similar stories to confess? Doesn't have to be about medical insurance, obv. Come on, peeps, make me feel better.

I have to admit that I felt awfully smug around 2006 when things started going pear-shaped for the Bush administration.  Although I felt terrible for the soldiers and their families, an evil little voice deep in my head was going "I told you so!!  Didn't I say there were no WMDs in Iraq three years ago?!?? Huh?  Didn't I? Who's a traitor now?  Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!"

(Remember when the Iraq war started and France wouldn't get on board and we had "freedom fries" and French wine was being taken off the shelves?  Well, I was a French university instructor then, sharing my classroom with an ROTC class whose sergeant used to greet me each day with a cheery "Hello, traitor!"  Yeah, I was kinda bitter about that for a while)

Guilt's overrated.

I wouldn't feel one bit guilty about this, Mort.  I really wouldn't.

I echo that 100%. You can allow yourself to be as gleeful as you like. Have fun pointing out to him the inconsistencies in his previous and present positions.

Well, I was a French university instructor then, sharing my classroom with an ROTC class whose sergeant used to greet me each day with a cheery "Hello, traitor!"

Yuk. Ptn quel con !

I have to admit that I felt awfully smug around 2006 when things started going pear-shaped for the Bush administration.  Although I felt terrible for the soldiers and their families, an evil little voice deep in my head was going "I told you so!!  Didn't I say there were no WMDs in Iraq three years ago?!?? Huh?  Didn't I? Who's a traitor now?  Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!"

(Remember when the Iraq war started and France wouldn't get on board and we had "freedom fries" and French wine was being taken off the shelves?  Well, I was a French university instructor then, sharing my classroom with an ROTC class whose sergeant used to greet me each day with a cheery "Hello, traitor!"  Yeah, I was kinda bitter about that for a while)

Yeah. You can't believe some of the most idiotic comments I got from everyone about that whole thing at the time (I live in GA.)

Anyone else have similar stories to confess? Doesn't have to be about medical insurance,  Come on, peeps, make me feel better.

I had a very similar thing happen to me yesterday.  I was chatting to a friend from home, who is a Rush Limbaugh fan, watches Fox "News", the whole nine yards.  She went to the dentist and was told that she's lost a lot of bone density (I think?) and they are recommending pulling all of her teeth, doing a bone graft in her jaw, and fitting her for dentures.  The estimate she got was $6500.  On the one hand I feel horrible because she can barely afford to pay her rent, but on the other hand, for a split second, I felt like what do you expect?  She decries socialized medicine without even really understanding what any of it means, and she votes on issues like abortion, gay rights and immigration (she's against them all.)

On a totally unrelated topic, DH and I will periodically joke with each other about who comes from the better country.  One time, he took it a bit far and I started to get annoyed, so I pointed out to him that the first Taoiseach of Ireland, an icon of Irish independence and politics, was in fact born in Manhattan and was an AMERICAN citizen.  He looked really deflated when I told him that, and I felt bad for a second, but then again, he really should have known better than to try to win an argument with me

I have to admit that I felt awfully smug around 2006 when things started going pear-shaped for the Bush administration.  Although I felt terrible for the soldiers and their families, an evil little voice deep in my head was going "I told you so!!  Didn't I say there were no WMDs in Iraq three years ago?!?? Huh?  Didn't I? Who's a traitor now?  Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!"

(Remember when the Iraq war started and France wouldn't get on board and we had "freedom fries" and French wine was being taken off the shelves?  Well, I was a French university instructor then, sharing my classroom with an ROTC class whose sergeant used to greet me each day with a cheery "Hello, traitor!"  Yeah, I was kinda bitter about that for a while)

I can relate to this one. 

I did enjoy hearing lifelong Republicans openly criticize Bush--the same criticisms that many non-Republicans made for years.  Living in Texas, it was a shock at first, but a pleasant one.  While I didn't enjoy things going pear-shaped in the U.S., I did like hearing some Republicans consider things past Bush's opinion. 

Yuk. Ptn quel con !

C'est bien vrai!

Yuk. Ptn quel con !

C'est bien vrai!

Absolument.  Merci les collègues francophones!