If the traffic then starts moving in another lane, everyone will greet the change with elation.

Yet I have to admit that I still could not suppress a tiny, keenly felt pleasure when Germany lost to Spain.

Shi Tao, in his jail cell, was undoubtedly pleased to learn that China is ruled by law, not by the Communist Party.

Markets responded euphorically, with stock prices in the US, for example, reaching post recession highs.

You can tell Americans and Europeans that they should rejoice over the boundless cheap goods and cheap credit that trade with Asia has supplied. But all their politicians seem to worry about is how some farmer or textile worker may lose their job.