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I was taught that it is okay to be envious, what isnt okay was to wish that someone will lose the things we envied about. When I see someone bought a new car,

I was taught that it is okay to be envious, what isnt okay was to wish that someone will lose the things we envied about. When I see someone bought a new car, I will pray “I hope his car is useful and he can benefit from it, I hope that someday I will have a car like his or even better”. While it might be hard in practice, so far it helped me stay positive to everyone.

_Microft 8y ago
In the german language there are the two words Neid and Missgunst. Both could be translated as enviousness but have a slightly different meanings. While Missgunst is definitely negative and maybe even destructive, Neid does not need to be negative and can have the meaning like in the example you gave.
- user5454 8y ago
  Interesting, in Swedish we have two (main) words too. The most common word, avundsjuk, even though it has sjuk in it (meaning sick or ill), doesn't necessarily have to be negative. E.g. "I'm so avundsjuk on your vacation to the Bahamas but I hope you have a nice trip." Missunnsam (sounds related to Missgunst) OTOH means that you refuse to let someone enjoy the object of envy. "I guess you must do some pretty heavy tax-evasion in order to afford that trip to the Bahamas."
- henrikschroder 8y ago
  Same in Swedish, there's one word for "You have it, and I also want it" (avundsjuka), and one word for "You have it, but I don't want you to have it" (missunnsamhet).
- mepian 8y ago
  This distinction also exists in Russian, though not in single words: белая зависть translated literally as "white envy" and черная зависть i.e. "black envy".
  - henrikschroder 8y ago
    Colour-coding of emotions in different languages is fascinating! In Swedish, envy is green (grön av avund), but jealousy is black (svartsjuk).
- adityapurwa 8y ago
  Wow, it is interesting to see that some language actually have different words for this situation.
  - gowld 8y ago
    Most languages develop words for ideas people care about. English has "emulous", mentioned upthread, and also "admiration" and "inspiration".
ForRealsies 8y ago
Obese man looks at a fit man and thinks "I wish I looked like that." Obese woman looks at a fit woman and thinks "I hope she gets fat."
mkempe 8y ago
The correct word for the positive emotion is feeling emulous -- which means you are filled with admiration and the motivation to emulate the achievement you see, or to do even better. To feel envious involves a grudge and a desire to take away/undermine the achievement or possession of another person. Example: do you wish you had a beautiful, new, fast car like your acquaintance; or do you wish they had an accident and lost their car (and/or got injured while in it)? Helmut Schoeck wrote a great treatise on the subject of Envy. [1] [1] https://www.amazon.com/dp/0865970645 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0865970645

_Microft 8y ago

In the german language there are the two words Neid and Missgunst. Both could be translated as enviousness but have a slightly different meanings. While Missgunst is definitely negative and maybe even destructive, Neid does not need to be negative and can have the meaning like in the example you gave.

user5454 8y ago
Interesting, in Swedish we have two (main) words too. The most common word, avundsjuk, even though it has sjuk in it (meaning sick or ill), doesn't necessarily have to be negative. E.g. "I'm so avundsjuk on your vacation to the Bahamas but I hope you have a nice trip." Missunnsam (sounds related to Missgunst) OTOH means that you refuse to let someone enjoy the object of envy. "I guess you must do some pretty heavy tax-evasion in order to afford that trip to the Bahamas."
henrikschroder 8y ago
Same in Swedish, there's one word for "You have it, and I also want it" (avundsjuka), and one word for "You have it, but I don't want you to have it" (missunnsamhet).
mepian 8y ago
This distinction also exists in Russian, though not in single words: белая зависть translated literally as "white envy" and черная зависть i.e. "black envy".
- henrikschroder 8y ago
  Colour-coding of emotions in different languages is fascinating! In Swedish, envy is green (grön av avund), but jealousy is black (svartsjuk).
adityapurwa 8y ago
Wow, it is interesting to see that some language actually have different words for this situation.
- gowld 8y ago
  Most languages develop words for ideas people care about. English has "emulous", mentioned upthread, and also "admiration" and "inspiration".

ForRealsies 8y ago

Obese man looks at a fit man and thinks "I wish I looked like that." Obese woman looks at a fit woman and thinks "I hope she gets fat."

mkempe 8y ago

The correct word for the positive emotion is feeling emulous -- which means you are filled with admiration and the motivation to emulate the achievement you see, or to do even better. To feel envious involves a grudge and a desire to take away/undermine the achievement or possession of another person. Example: do you wish you had a beautiful, new, fast car like your acquaintance; or do you wish they had an accident and lost their car (and/or got injured while in it)? Helmut Schoeck wrote a great treatise on the subject of Envy. [1] [1] https://www.amazon.com/dp/0865970645 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0865970645