Phobophilia

[Kyriakos]

Yes, the Medusa was a Gorgon, killed by the hero Perseas.

However wiki says the name meant "guardian" as well. I will check this and mention what i might find

 

[Kyriakos]

Well i did manage to find some interesting info on the name Medusa.

Medusa (Μέδουσ&#945 seems to be a term formed by the verb Medo (Μέδ&#969, which means "guard, oversee, protect". Moreover i read that the same verb forms the names Medeia and Andromeda (which i suppose should mean protector of men).

The term Gorgon (Medousa was one of the three Gorgones) comes from the noun Gorgo (Γοργ&#974 that i read has the meaning of "hostile/savage stare".

The Medousa is first mentioned by Homer, in the first chapter of the Odyssey, verse 72 in the text "Φόρκυνος θυγάτηρ ἁλὸς ἀτρυγέτοιο μέδοντος" which i am translating as "Daughter of Forkynos, the archon of the never-ending sea"

 

[Part_Time_Civer]

I once heard that people enjoy watching horror movies because they feel a sense of relief knowing that they're not the ones who have to deal with zombies / be decapitated etc themselves. It merely happens to the characters in the movie. Don't know if that's true though. In my opinion, I think it's an evolutionary adaptation which helps you deal with dangerous situations, e.g. if you watch a crocodile eat a monkey, you will learn how to avoid being eaten yourself (by keeping appropiate distance or by learning cues about a croc's appetite etc).

 

[Kyriakos]

I guess both of those play a role (the first one is called Catharsis, an Aristotelian term to "examine" the similar effect of watching violent drama in ancient Athens), and more parameters exist. Each case is specific too

 

[Borachio]

Schadenfreude.

 

[Kyriakos]

I just had to make this now:

 

[Borachio]

Oh you!

Everyone knows that epichairekakia means having a crappy hair-do. An epic hair eek! kaki a. You can see that clearly in the photo you posted.

It's just a made up word.

 

[Kyriakos]

Well it is the same afterall... Epichairekakia signifies being happy due to someone else being harmed.

The surviving in main current use Greek word is a bit different, the first part is gone and it now is chairekakia, which just means generally being happy with being evil or doing something evil

(edit due to some earlier false concept of the german term)