Envy Explored

The Nature of Envy and Social Comparison

Envy is a fundamental emotional consequence of upward social comparison. It signals perceived danger to one’s social influence and respect, serving as a status-leveling mechanism. There are two types of envy:

1. Benign Envy – Motivates self-improvement and admiration of others’ success without hostility.
2. Malicious Envy – Leads to resentment and actions aimed at harming the success of others.

Social comparison orientation measures the extent to which individuals compare themselves to others. High social comparers tend to exhibit traits like fear of failure, narcissism, and a strong interest in status displays.

The Role of Status in Envy

• Status leveling is common in hunter-gatherer societies where excessive success leads to social pushback.
• Tall Poppy Syndrome (commonly discussed in New Zealand and Australia) describes the tendency to cut down those who stand out too much.
• The Evil Eye is a cross-cultural phenomenon where envy is believed to manifest as a supernatural curse.

Envy and Its Psychological Mechanisms

• Similarity and Domain Relevance: Envy is most strongly directed at individuals who share similar backgrounds, credentials, or career trajectories.
• Counterfactual Nature of Envy: “It could have been me” fuels resentment, especially among peers.
• Upward Social Comparison: Individuals often compare themselves to those slightly ahead rather than those significantly more successful.

Schadenfreude and Envy’s Emotional Consequences

• Schadenfreude (Pleasure at Others’ Misfortune): Often triggered by envy, particularly in individuals who are rivals or seen as having unfair advantages.
• Gluckschmerz (Pain at Others’ Good Fortune): Distinct from envy, it reflects displeasure at the success of those one dislikes.
• Moral Outrage and Schadenfreude: Recent research suggests that moral outrage on social media is often a socially acceptable way of masking envy-based pleasure in others’ failures.

Social and Cultural Dimensions of Envy

• Adam Smith on Envy Avoidance: Advises that highly successful individuals should display humility to avoid social resentment.
• Bertrand Russell on Endless Comparisons: Notes that envy is perpetuated by continuous upward comparison—Napoleon envied Caesar, Caesar envied Alexander, and Alexander envied the mythical Hercules.
• The Naturalistic Fallacy: Just because envy is natural does not mean it is desirable or should dictate societal behavior.

Practical Implications

• Emphasizing Benign Envy: Societies and individuals can promote self-improvement rather than resentment.
• Modesty as a Status Strategy: Many successful individuals downplay their achievements to avoid envy-driven backlash.
• Understanding Envy’s Role in Redistribution Policies: Studies show that malicious envy is a strong predictor of support for coercive redistribution policies.

Envy is deeply embedded in human nature and plays a complex role in social hierarchies, personal ambition, and cultural norms. Managing envy—both personally and societally—can lead to a more cooperative and constructive social environment.