Definition
Envy is the desire to possess an advantage, possession, or ability that someone else has. It is often accompanied by feelings of resentment and a perceived sense of inferiority.
- How to read: “Envy.”
- Meaning: Resenting another’s success and wishing it for oneself.
Why It Matters
Envy is a destructive zero-sum bias. It is unique among the common “sins” in that it is entirely painful and provides no momentary pleasure. Recognizing envy is critical for maintaining focus on one’s own progress rather than being paralyzed by the success of others.
Core Concepts
- Relative Satisfaction: Humans rarely judge their success in absolute terms; we judge it relative to our peers and neighbors.
- Zero-Sum Bias: The false belief that someone else’s gain is your loss. In reality, in a growing economy, success is often non-zero-sum.
- Destructive Impulse: Left unchecked, envy can lead to a desire to sabotage or destroy the success of others, even if it provides no benefit to the self.