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 pleausre 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 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 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 scientifc 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 fromt he 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. whosoever 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 of 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 of 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. mereley to realize the cause of one's own envious feeling is to take a long step towards curing them.

Answer:


To Envy is the worst character of human nature. This not only eats up individual self happiness and also puts the life of others at stake. The person involves himself into damaging societal activities. Such an attitude is an existential threat to human progress. This is because an envious person would try to snatch away the talents possessed by scientists, doctors, and geniuses. But human nature has an integral element of admiration which curtails envy and increases happiness. The saints’ prescription for envy is to find ‘selflessness’; however, it is such a mammoth task that even saints can’t perform. A more mundane cure for this disease is to find ‘happiness’. But for an envious man, ‘happiness’ and ‘envy’ begs the question. Fortunately, life isn’t perfectly rational. A step taken to remove envy would automatically bring happiness in one’s life.

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Envy: Its effects and some cures

To envy is the worst character of human nature because it not only eats up individual happiness but also puts the life of others at stake. Such a person involves himself in activities that are an existential threat to human progress. An envious person would try to snatch away the talents possessed by the elite. But human nature has an integral element of admiration which curtails envy and increases happiness. The saints’ prescription for envy is to find ‘selflessness’; Even saints find this difficult to do. A mundane cure is to find happiness. But for an envious man, ‘happiness’ and ‘envy’ begs the question. Fortunately, life isn’t perfectly rational and steps taken to remove envy would automatically bring happiness.