120 philosophical essays you must read in your life

Chapter 69

Chapter 4 Section 9 Jealousy

[UK] Russell
Unnecessary modesty is closely related to jealousy.Modesty is often considered a virtue, but I doubt it is still worth being considered as such in its more extreme forms.Humble people need a barrage of reassurances and lack the courage and confidence to do things and tasks within their power.Humble people believe that they are inferior to those around them, so they are prone to jealousy, which escalates into unhappiness and hostility.In my opinion, it is very important to tell your child that he is a good child.I don't believe that any peacock will be jealous of another peacock's feathers and tails. They all think that their feathers are unique, the most beautiful, and the most dazzling in the world.The result is that peacocks are peaceful and docile birds.

Imagine how unhappy a peacock would be if it were told that it was evil to think highly of itself!Whenever it sees its companion open its tail, it will say to itself: "I can't think that my feather tail is more beautiful than this one, because it is conceited to think so. But how I wish I was more beautiful!" That ugly bird is so self-righteous! How about I rip off some of its feathers! Then I don’t have to be afraid to be compared to it.” Maybe it will set a trap to frame and slander the innocent peacock.So it would condemn the peacock at the chiefs meeting.Gradually it will establish such a rule: all peacocks with extremely beautiful feathers are vicious, and the clever ruler of the Peacock Kingdom will choose this peacock with only a few bald feathers as the leader.At that time, it will kill all the beautiful peacocks, and in the end, the tail feathers that are really glorious will become something that exists only in dirty memory.Such evil results are the ultimate triumph of the envious.But when each peacock thinks he is more beautiful than the others, there is no need for such repression.Every male peahen wants to be No. 1 in this competition, and because they respect their female partner, they all think that the success is theirs.

Of course, where there is competition, there is jealousy, and the two are closely linked.We do not envy fortunes which we consider hopeless.In that era of strict social hierarchy, the lowest class would not be jealous of the upper class, because the line between rich and poor was considered to be appointed by God.Beggars don't envy millionaires, even if they envy those who are more successful than themselves.The fluidity of status and the various doctrines of equality in modern society greatly extend the range of envy.It is an evil, but one that must be endured in order to achieve a certain degree of justice.When thinking rationally about inequality, it is seen as unjust unless we base it on a level of entitlement.Once this inequality is seen as unjust, there is no other solution to the envy it arouses than to remove the name.

【Together with you】

Jealousy is the "virus of the soul." In essence, jealousy is an illegitimate psychological discomfort caused by seeing the achievements of others who share the same goals and ambitions as oneself.Jealousy is a fire that can destroy a person!Instead of being jealous of others, it is better to find a way to catch up with or even surpass him.Escape the hell of jealousy so that you can achieve greatness like everyone else!Ignorance is something worse, meaner, and loathsome than hedonism.

(End of this chapter)