Why Some Cheer When Others Die

The death of any human being is normally met with grief, solemnity, or at least quiet respect. Yet throughout history, moments arise when individuals or groups openly rejoice at the passing of another. From the death of enemy leaders in war to the fall of controversial public figures, celebrations of death raise difficult psychological and ethical questions. Recent events — most notably the murder of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk in September 2025 — have brought this unsettling phenomenon into sharp focus.

The Psychology Behind Celebrating Death

1. Schadenfreude and Outgroup Hostility

The most common psychological framework for understanding joy at death is schadenfreude — pleasure at another’s suffering. This emotion is particularly potent when the person who dies belongs to an outgroup perceived as threatening or immoral. For some, a rival’s death feels like justice or even cosmic balance, despite the moral weight of celebrating such a loss.

2. Dehumanization and Moral Disengagement

Albert Bandura’s research on moral disengagement explains how people suspend moral norms by viewing others as less than human. Dehumanization allows people to bypass empathy, making it psychologically easier to feel relief or pleasure at death. Historical propaganda, contemporary hate speech, and extremist rhetoric all demonstrate this mechanism.

3. Personality Correlates: The Dark Triad and Sadism

Research suggests that individuals high in the “Dark Triad” traits — narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy — are more prone to taking pleasure in others’ suffering. Everyday sadism, a fourth related trait, intensifies this tendency. Those who score higher in these traits may not only fail to feel empathy but may actively enjoy another’s demise.

4. Collective Identity and Group Emotion

Reactions to death are often amplified by group identity. When an adversary dies, especially one with symbolic importance, reactions go beyond individual psychology. Crowds celebrating the fall of a dictator or the assassination of a rival leader often express not only personal satisfaction but collective solidarity, strengthening ingroup cohesion.

Case Study: The Murder of Charlie Kirk

On September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk — a prominent conservative activist — was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University. The alleged shooter, a 22-year-old from Utah, had expressed hostility toward Kirk’s beliefs before the attack. His death sparked widespread media coverage, political debate, and polarized public reactions.

Reactions Across the Spectrum

• Condemnation: Many leaders and ordinary citizens, including those critical of Kirk’s politics, expressed grief and condemned political violence as corrosive to democracy.
• Rejoicing and Mockery: Others, particularly online, displayed open schadenfreude — making jokes, celebrating his death, or framing it as “justice.” These reactions illustrate precisely the psychological patterns of dehumanization and outgroup hostility.
• Collective Symbolism: For Kirk’s supporters, his killing was a direct attack on conservative identity and values. For some ideological opponents, it symbolized the fall of a figure they associated with harmful ideas. This symbolic framing amplified both grief and rejoicing.

Why This Fits the Psychology

• Dehumanization: Kirk’s critics often cast him as embodying harmful or oppressive ideologies. Such framing reduced empathy, making celebration of his death easier.
• Moral Disengagement: Some rationalized the killing by arguing that his rhetoric “invited” violence or that he “had it coming.” These are classic disengagement strategies.
• Personality Traits in Play: Those with sadistic or psychopathic tendencies may be particularly drawn to public displays of glee at such deaths. Social media amplifies these voices, normalizing responses that would otherwise be fringe.

Risks and Social Consequences

1. Escalation of Violence
   Celebrating killings risks normalizing political violence, encouraging copycats, and deepening cycles of retaliation.
2. Polarization and Division
   Rejoicing in the death of a rival hardens ingroup–outgroup boundaries, worsening polarization and reducing opportunities for dialogue.
3. Erosion of Empathy
   Each time society justifies or celebrates violence against an ideological enemy, empathy — the glue of social cohesion — is eroded.

Ethical Evaluation

While many reacted to Kirk’s death with condemnation and calls for peace, others rejoiced. This divergence reflects broader psychological findings: the impulse to celebrate death is not universal, but tied to personality factors, ideological polarization, and group dynamics. Understanding these mechanisms helps explain why such disturbing reactions occur — and underscores the importance of reinforcing norms of compassion, even toward those we oppose.

Final Words

Of particular concern to this writer are some of the joyous comments made by current and former military personnel regarding Charlie Kirk’s death. Each of us took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, which of course includes all the amendments, including Freedom of Speech. How does one then rejoice at the assassination of an American who was exercising that First Amendment right? Perhaps in their case the oath was just empty words — something to simply check off like a Microsoft User Agreement. Raise your right hand, say some words, and do your time.

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References

• Bandura, A. (1999). Moral disengagement in the perpetration of inhumanities. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 3(3), 193–209. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327957pspr0303_3
• Leach, C. W., Spears, R., Branscombe, N. R., & Doosje, B. (2003). Malicious pleasure: Schadenfreude at the suffering of another group. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(5), 932–943. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.5.932
• Paulhus, D. L., & Williams, K. M. (2002). The Dark Triad of personality: Narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. Journal of Research in Personality, 36(6), 556–563. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0092-6566(02)00505-6
• Buckels, E. E., Jones, D. N., & Paulhus, D. L. (2013). Behavioral confirmation of everyday sadism. Psychological Science, 24(11), 2201–2209. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797613490749
• Chester, D. S., & DeWall, C. N. (2017). Combating the sting of rejection with the pleasure of revenge: A new look at how emotion shapes aggression. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 112(3), 413–430. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000080