Psychologists Recast Envy as Positive Tool for Change, Not 1 of 7 Deadly Sins

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 14

Psychologists say envy can serve as a constructive signal rather than a purely corrosive emotion, helping people identify what matters and channel it into positive change.
Stacy S. Kim argues social comparison is unavoidable in group life, and looking up at people who seem better off naturally triggers envy that many people feel too ashamed to examine.
Examining that feeling can reveal a deeper desire embedded within it, said Boston University professor Steven J. Sandage, instead of letting it harden into bitterness or self-pity.
The reframing challenges the traditional view of envy as one of the seven deadly sins and presents it as motivation when understood and used deliberately.

Sources

If envy is an ancient evolutionary survival tool, are we destroying our natural drive by trying to suppress our darkest comparisons?

What hidden psychological trigger transforms your everyday social media jealousy into a dangerous tool for professional sabotage?

1 total