Envy can be a positive and healthy force. E.g., I've always wanted to work with people whose skills I envy. That gives me reason to learn more and progress.
I think what the article refers to "envy" is a complete lack of self-esteem. Envy is healthy when you acknowledge your limitations.
> But envy is one of the most pervasive problems in today’s world, especially as social media normalizes the successes of others, making you feel like you’re “underperforming” the average when in reality you’re being shown a highlight reel of outliers.
> Envy can be a positive and healthy force. E.g., I've always wanted to work with people whose skills I envy. That gives me reason to learn more and progress.
My understanding of the word is borne out by the formal definition, e.g., in Wiktionary (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/envy): “Resentful desire of something possessed by another or others (but not limited to material possessions).” That ‘resentful’ part is key to why I think that envy is (almost?) always negative. It is good to work with people whose skills you admire; if you envy their skills then you not only want to have those skills yourself, but resent that they have them.
I'm not good at emotions and can really only recognize about 3 or 4 in myself. I do try to understand what value each emotion can have, on the presumption that if it had no value, it ought not to continue existing. Envy is the hardest one for me to find value in. At best it can be a kind of competitive motivating factor. That's all I've got.
I think I avoid envy by first believing that 'I' could have been anyone on the planet, but just happened to be 'me'. Given that as a starting point, do the most with what you have. Even then I don't do near close to the max, so I'm not in any position to complain or desire beyond my means which I haven't realized.
>Even then I don't do near close to the max, so I'm not in any position to complain or desire beyond my means which I haven't realized.
Interesting perspective, i like that a lot. How can I begrudge others things when I haven’t even maximized my own capability and or circumstances in life?
You are "technically" right about the definition of envy - but I think OP is using envy to indicate "wanting something that you feel you deserve". Sometimes you feel you deserved more. Sometimes you feel others deserved less.
Though noting your other comment below, envy is less about wanting something for oneself as wanting exclusive possession of it - not 'I wish to have that too' but 'that should be mine, not yours.'
I think what the article refers to "envy" is a complete lack of self-esteem. Envy is healthy when you acknowledge your limitations.
> But envy is one of the most pervasive problems in today’s world, especially as social media normalizes the successes of others, making you feel like you’re “underperforming” the average when in reality you’re being shown a highlight reel of outliers.
This isn't really "envy", or not on its own.