Schadenfreude describes pleasure derived from the misfortune of others. We all do it; laughing at someone falling over, sniggering at the person that walks into the glass door, delighting in the relegation of Birmingham City. But at what point does this turn from healthy and cathartic to something more sinister?

It seems almost impossible at times to go a day that there isn't some sort of reality show on TV, whether it be Britain's Got Talent, X-Factor, The Only Way Is Essex, Made in Chelsea or even more "high-brow" affairs like Young, Rich and House Hunting (which has excellent voice over work from the delightful @HenryOnAMission by the way). Although I don't fully understand this new concept of constructed reality programmes, and whether the "cast" perceive it as an acting job or if it is the real them they are putting up for public scrutiny.

Either way, they all present the same moral dilemma. Is it right for the makers of these programmes to deliberately engineer the humiliation of these people in the name of public entertainment? And why are they so ridiculously popular?

There is a cynical part of me that thinks that if you agree to go on national television, then you must know that total public humiliation is a distinct possibility, and some of the people on the likes of Britain's Got Talent and X-Factor certainly seem to recognise this, and even thrive on it.

Then there are those who don't appear totally compos mentis, and may as well be literally crying out for approval and affirmation, for whom rejection is totally crushing and bewildering. It's not just a judgement on their singing or dancing or whatever it may be, it's a judgement on them as a person and their worth. This is where I start feeling uncomfortable.

I should point out that with the exception of last year's X-Factor, which I was forced to watch, I have only ever seen the odd few minutes here and there of most of these programmes, but I have seen the reactions on the various social networking sites and in the newspapers to various contestants. The most ridiculed contestants generally seem to be the ones least equipped with the ability to cope with, or even understand why, they are suddenly the subject of the general public's derision, even if only for 5 minutes until the next contestant comes on.

The worst part of all, I think, is the part during the X-Factor final where they bring back the worst people from auditions and make them do a group song. These people must know that the only reason that they have been asked back is because they were the most ridiculed of all the auditionees, yet they agree to it! And appear quite happy to  be there! Are people so desperate for their 5 minutes of fame or are they really so deluded that they're still holding on to that tiniest glimmer of a hope of public affirmation despite their previous humiliation?