Schadenfreude | n. | (scha·den·freu·de) – Pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others.
Obviously, some of the very best content the internet has to offer comes from the unfortunate situations of others. And there’s nearly nothing as satisfying as witnessing someone harmlessly embarrassing themselves in public. Like, say, overreacting to a digital display of a shark tank.
This delightful video clip comes to us via a recent post on Laughing Squid and was taken at the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. The shark tank, as you’ve probably already figured out, is a virtual display, and comes with a warning sign about not touching the glass. From a young age we’re taught not to bang on the glass of an aquarium or zoo exhibit and yet, human beings are still the world’s most curious dummies. Tell us not to do something and we’re only going to want to do it more.
After a few apprehensive taps on the glass, the museum patron gains a bit of confidence and taps a bit harder. The installation then switches to an attacking great white shark coming out of nowhere to crack the glass. Not only does the patron jump back in fear but the camera operator — who seemingly knows what’s going to happen — still gets startled.
As terrifying as the shark video is, it doesn’t hold a candle to our favorite broken glass-related prank. A few sections of a glass bridge on the Taihang Mountain in Hebei, China are equipped with screens that “crack” in order to scare the crap out of tourists.
Have you experienced a prank installation like these? Let’s discuss in the comments below!
Image: Sharkdiver68 | Wikimedia Commons
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