original passage:
Of all the characteristics of ordinary human nature envy is the most unfortunate; not only does the
envious person wish to inflict misfortune and do so whenever he can with impunity, but he is also himself
rendered unhappy by envy. Instead of deriving pleasure from what he has, he derives pain from what others
have. If he can, he deprives others of their advantages, which to him is as desirable as it would be to secure
the same advantages himself. If this passion is allowed to run riot it becomes fatal to all excellence, and even
to the most useful exercise of exceptional skill. Why should a medical man go to see his patients in a car
when the labourer has to walk to his work? Why should the scientific investigator be allowed to spend his
time in a warm room when others have to face the inclemency of the elements? Why should a man who
possesses some rare talent of great importance to the world be saved from the drudgery of his own
housework? To such questions envy finds no answer. Fortunately, however, there is in human nature a
compensating passion, namely that of admiration. Whoever wishes to increase human happiness must wish to
increase admiration and to diminish envy.
What cure is there for envy? For the saint there is the cure of selflessness, though even in the case of
saints envy of other saints is by no means impossible. But, leaving saints out of account, the only cure for
envy in the case of ordinary men and women is happiness, and the difficulty is that envy is itself a terrible
obstacle to happiness.
But the envious man may say: ‘What is the good of telling me that the cure for envy is happiness? I
cannot find happiness while I continue to feel envy, and you tell me that I cannot cease to be envious until I
find happiness.’ But real life is never so logical as this. Merely to realize the causes of one’s own envious
feeling is to take a long step towards curing them.




precis:
Title: envy, the most ill-fated trait of human nature

envious feeling is the most ill-fated trait of human nature. on one side, it makes one dissatisfied and ungrateful of what he has, and on the other hand it makes one discontent of others' possessions. a jealous man wishes to deprive others of what he wishes to possess himself. opposite of envious passion is admiration which increases satisfaction and lessens jealousy. however, to cure one's jealousy, neither admiration nor satisfaction works because an envious man's jealousy deprives him of both. therefore, discovering the cause of one's envy will be the best cure for it.