• Linkey
    49
    It seems that our level of happiness is determined not by absolute, but by relative level of comfort. This means, that a man feels good only when he lives better than others. It is good to be richer than average, but when everybody becomes richer – nothing changes. This effect can be explained as follows: without this mechanism, populations who live in bad conditions would have problems because they have too much sufferings (e.g. suicides), and the populations who live in good conditions have this problem too (big euphoria can harm the brain).

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easterlin_paradox

    As a result, we have the feeling of envy. When we see that other people live better then we, the fact of their comfort makes us unhappy. Figuratively speaking, these people, by the fact of their comfort, “hurt” us, and there appears a desire to hurt them in return. Similarly, when we see that many people are living badly, we feel compassion and a desire to help.
  • Vera Mont
    4.3k
    This means, that a man feels good only when he lives better than others.Linkey

    I don't believe that. I think a man feels good when he is valued by his community and his efforts and accomplishments are appreciated. In a greed-based, wealth-controlled society, the only available status is measured in wealth and power and can only be attained through competition.

    Therefore, anyone who does attain wealth, power and admiration is in constant fear of being displaced by someone more ambitious and aggressive, someone with a sharper edge. They are also in constant fear of being robbed or cheated out of their possessions. And so they bend their considerable social resources toward the consolidation and protection of their assets.

    The very poor and dispossessed are in constant fear of illness, injury, cold and hunger. If they live badly in a wealth-driven environment, poor people can't help being aware that the rich have much more than they need, while they themselves have less than they need. They can hardly help feeling resentful.
    So the rich people are afraid of the poor people's anger and the poor people are afraid of repression.

    There are many kinds of envy. They come on a long scale of intensity, from "I wish I had hair like hers." through "I want his wife." to the most toxic "If I can't be him and have all his talent and fame, I can at least kill him and be famous by proxy."

    In fact, the happiest people in the world live quite modestly, with few possessions.
  • Wayfarer
    22.5k
    It's a reasonable idea, but this kind of analysis barely falls under the general subject heading of philosophy. There is a very strong tendency to evoke evolutionary theory to account for all kinds of human traits but it often bears the risk of slipping into a 'just so' story.

    I think a much more substantial figure with a somewhat similar idea is René Girard, who wrote extensively on the concepts of mimetic desire, mimetic rivalry, and sacrificial violence. His work explores how human desires are imitated from others, leading to rivalry and conflict, and how societies use sacrificial mechanisms to channel and resolve these conflicts. Some of his key works include "Violence and the Sacred" (1972) and "Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World" (1978).

    Mimetic rivalry refers to the idea that human desires are not inherently original but are imitated (or "mimetic"). According to Girard, individuals often desire objects or goals not because of their intrinsic value, but because they see others desiring them. This imitation leads to rivalry and conflict, as multiple individuals or groups compete for the same objects or goals.

    In Girard's view, mimetic rivalry is a fundamental aspect of human behavior and social dynamics. It can escalate to the point of violence, as individuals or groups struggle to assert their desires over others. Girard further argues that this rivalry can lead to social crises, which societies often manage through mechanisms such as scapegoating and sacrificial violence, redirecting the conflict onto a sacrificial victim to restore peace and order.

    There are resonances with the 'Easterlin thesis' (which I acknowledge I hadn't heard of previously.)
  • Sir2u
    3.5k
    As a result, we have the feeling of envy. When we see that other people live better then we, the fact of their comfort makes us unhappy.Linkey

    Some many of those popular people live much better than me, I don't envy them at all. In fact I feel sorry for them having to work so hard to be popular.
  • Linkey
    49
    Some many of those popular people live much better than me, I don't envy them at all. In fact I feel sorry for them having to work so hard to be popular.Sir2u

    Such people as you are exceptions, as I think.
    I have heard that according to American psychologist D. Myers, an increase of crime level in USA happened in 1951-1955 because of the appearance of TV shows in which the heroes showed a high lever of richness and consumption. I mean that the TV viewers started to compare themselves with rich TV heroes and feel envy to them.
  • Sir2u
    3.5k
    I mean that the TV viewers started to compare themselves with rich TV heroes and feel envy to them.Linkey

    Still works the same, only now there are the kartrashians instead of mobsters. Same thing I suppose though.
  • Tom Storm
    9.1k
    This means, that a man feels good only when he lives better than others.Linkey

    I don't think this is right. It might be for some, but it doesn't resonate with me. I'm not sure what 'living better' looks like - what is better?

    When we see that other people live better then we, the fact of their comfort makes us unhappy.Linkey

    I don't experience this. Most people seem unhappy to me, especially wealthy folks. To me the often vulgar displays of wealth ususally seem like unimaginative attempts to appear interesting or be liked. It's not really living better - it's chasing one's tail.

    I think an inclusivity lens might tigger resentment for many - when we see that someone who is a pig and making the world a worse place is able to educate and feed their kids with ease, while someone who does the right thing, does menial work and can barely make ends meet. It seems outrageous that this happens. But I don't consider this envy. I consider this social justice.

    In fact, the happiest people in the world live quite modestly, with few possessions.Vera Mont

    I don't doubt it. I met a lot of our local super rich in the 1980's when I worked for a fine art and antiquities dealer. Mostly they seemed frantic, lonely and glum.
  • Vera Mont
    4.3k
    There's a nice little documentary about what people really need https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1613092/
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