envy

envy as tea leaves for what we really want

Modern capitalism is a pro at two things: generating wealth and generating envy.

Morgan Housel • The Psychology of Money: Timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness

How I Tamed My Envy of Almost Everyone But Especially Elizabeth Gilbert

"Envy is inversely correlated with self-examination. The less you know yourself, the more you look to others to get an idea of your worth. But the more you delve into who you are, the less you seek from others, and the dissolution of envy begins."

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When we envy other people, we often focus on the aspects of their lives that we want, while conveniently ignoring the parts that we don't. The grass always seems greener on the other side of the fence until you're standing in someone else's yard. If you were to trade places with them, you'd get the good parts of their life, but it might cost you th... See more

Unmistakable Creative • 46 Reflections on a Life Half Over

ON ENVY Self-awareness can help you turn your feelings into something useful, so the next time envy rears its head, ask yourself: —What do they have that makes me feel less than? —What void do I believe having it would fill? —Do I really want what they have? ... See more

The spectator-buyer is meant to envy herself as she will become if she buys the product. She is meant to imagine herself transformed by the product into an object of envy for others, an envy which will then justify her loving herself. One could put this another way: the publicity image steals her love of herself as she is, and offers it back to her

Envy occurs when we want something that another person has. Jealousy is when we fear losing a relationship or a valued part of a relationship that we already have.

Brené Brown • Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience

All of this makes the grass-is-always-greener syndrome inevitable in our psychological makeup. We should not moralize or complain about this possible flaw in human nature. It is a part of the mental life of each one of us, and it has many benefits. It is the source of our ability to think of new possibilities and innovate.

Robert Greene • The Laws of Human Nature

envy