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You probably already realize this, but almost by definition, you can never be happy with this mindset. Unless you're the richest person on Earth, there will al

You probably already realize this, but almost by definition, you can never be happy with this mindset. Unless you're the richest person on Earth, there will always be someone with more money than you. Likewise, unless you're the poorest person on Earth, there will always be someone with less money than you. So, if you find yourself between these two extremes, a change in viewpoint is the only thing that can get you out of this funk. I have several friends (no joke) who have become billionaires over the last few years. I've slipped into periods of jealousy, but it's taken some mulling to realize that I only want what I think they have. And what is that, exactly? More "stuff"? A bigger house? How are things going to really make me feel happy? Fact is, they won't, and they can't. I can feed myself and my family. I am healthy (now, at least--for many years, I was not). I have shelter. I have friends who I care about and who care about me. If you have these things, you have wealth--or at least enough of it to be happy.

deanmoriarty 5y ago
I think you can actually be happy if those people are not in your social circle. Your brain has a way of forgetting what is not in your proximity. It’s very different knowing that a distant cousin is a rich guy vs the cousin that hangs out with you every weekend.
- theli0nheart 5y ago
  The nice thing about simply changing your mindset with respect to money is that you can learn to be happy without needing to cut good friends out of your life. It also seems unnecessarily burdensome and superficial; when said people who you cut out face financial strain of their own, are they then “allowed” to be your friends again? Likewise, if you win the lottery, how would you react if all of your old friends stopped talking to you?
  - deanmoriarty 5y ago
    As another commenter said, it’s very complicated: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29801896 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29801896 Sometimes the easier route is more appealing. But I am certainly not dismissing your point.
strikelaserclaw 5y ago
people are really jealous if the people they believe to be no more talented than themselves gain alot more, they attribute the success to luck and that is where their depression starts (Oh why am i so unlucky, what did i do wrong in life etc...)

deanmoriarty 5y ago

I think you can actually be happy if those people are not in your social circle. Your brain has a way of forgetting what is not in your proximity. It’s very different knowing that a distant cousin is a rich guy vs the cousin that hangs out with you every weekend.

theli0nheart 5y ago
The nice thing about simply changing your mindset with respect to money is that you can learn to be happy without needing to cut good friends out of your life. It also seems unnecessarily burdensome and superficial; when said people who you cut out face financial strain of their own, are they then “allowed” to be your friends again? Likewise, if you win the lottery, how would you react if all of your old friends stopped talking to you?
- deanmoriarty 5y ago
  As another commenter said, it’s very complicated: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29801896 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29801896 Sometimes the easier route is more appealing. But I am certainly not dismissing your point.

strikelaserclaw 5y ago

people are really jealous if the people they believe to be no more talented than themselves gain alot more, they attribute the success to luck and that is where their depression starts (Oh why am i so unlucky, what did i do wrong in life etc...)