Envy

Awareness is presented as the central remedy for envy. Envy differs from ordinary desire because it wants another person to lose the good they possess. Envy-like reactions appear in primates when rewards differ. Envy is treated as a hidden and taboo desire that people rarely name directly. Hunter-gatherer practices sometimes reduced envy by requiring gifts to be shared immediately. Envy is rooted in comparison and social status evaluation. Envy is often hidden because people rarely admit it directly. The mind can disguise envy as moral judgment against a successful person. Unacknowledged envy can distort relationships and decision-making. Envy can make peers feel like rivals and achievements feel threatening. Social media amplifies envy by repeatedly displaying comparative success.