Is there a word for satisfaction in others receiving justice?

Is there a word for satisfaction of hearing about justice that does not affect you?

e.g. you hear on the news that a diet foods company has been ordered to compensate customers for deliberately misleading customers into buying their products by making false claims about its benefits.

This makes you pleased as justice has been served however

  • you have never bought or attempted to buy any of the diet products
  • you will not receive any compensation
  • no-one you know has been affected

I suppose this is a mix of satisfaction, a restoring of faith in karma and a sense of the world being "put to rights" and better as a result..?


Mudita in Buddhism describes appreciative, sympathetic or vicarious joy—"joy in the greatness of others". I've not seen it used outside Buddhism, but it might make a good coinage.

The article also links to the more English-sounding word compersion, but I can't find it in a dictionary or used in a wider context than polyamory, so its existing meaning may be skewed toward the romantic.


Shadenfreude is pleasure that they're getting their comeuppance:

Schadenfreude is pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others. This word is taken from German and literally means 'Harm-Joy'. It is the feeling of joy or pleasure when one sees another fail or suffer misfortune.