Harnessing Envy as Motivation | Generated by AI
Question: What are some unpopular opinions about envy?
Answer:
Envy is widely condemned as a deadly sin or toxic emotion, but several contrarian takes exist that are deeply unpopular in mainstream self-help, therapy, and moral discourse:
- Envy is one of the most useful emotions humans have. It’s a highly accurate detector of what you actually value and where you’re falling short compared to realistic peers (not celebrities). Most people who claim they “never feel envy” are either lying or genuinely low-ambition.
- Suppressing or shaming envy usually backfires and turns it into resentment; openly admitting “I’m envious of X” is often the fastest way to figure out your next goal and get motivated.
- “I’m not envious, I’m just disgusted by inequality/show-offs” is very often envy wearing a moral mask. People feel more comfortable framing their envy as righteous anger.
- Celebrating or even cultivating mild envy toward people slightly ahead of you (not billionaires, but the colleague who got the promotion, the friend who got in shape) is a more effective motivator than generic “gratitude journaling” or positive thinking.
- A lot of anti-envy advice (“focus on your own journey,” “comparison is the thief of joy”) secretly keeps underperformers comfortable and stagnant. High achievers tend to compare upward constantly and use the sting as fuel.
- Envy between friends or within communities is often healthy and raises everyone’s standards (think gym buddies, writers in a critique group, startup founders in the same city). The polite agreement to never admit envy is what makes groups mediocre.
- Telling people (especially young people) that envy is always bad deprives them of one of the strongest natural drivers evolution gave us. We demonize it mostly because it’s uncomfortable to witness in others.
These views tend to be unpopular because they clash with the dominant cultural script that envy is inherently destructive and must be eradicated rather than harnessed.