"The world is not driven by greed, it’s driven by envy" said Warren Buffett's partner, Charles Munger. The investment world is "blessed" with both.
We notice in others not everything, just what we lack. Someone else's success painfully mirrors our own shortcomings. But it starts with an internal sense of lacking something. "I desperately need X. Why don't I have it yet?!" we protest. And more often than not, it's about the imaginary things, not a shortage of Vitamin D.
Maybe it all began with Cain, who killed his brother out of envy. Cain resented God for accepting Abel's sacrifice, not his own. Cain was convinced he knew better. That's pride. Narcissism, a therapist would say.
A belief in one's uniqueness is a crucial milestone in a child's development. But when a personality can't outgrow this stage, it becomes a source of suffering and "bad luck".
Of course, the best treatment for a sky-high ego is injections. Reality will constantly frustrate, castrate and deprive the narcissist, of what he holds most dear. This upbringing persists until their personality matures (or dies). By the way, there's a bit of narcissism in each of us.
I have noticed: There is no envy at the moment of your realization. For example, when solving a challenging problem that holds deep meaning for you and benefits others. Such activity is a reward in itself. At that moment, gratitude to fate runs deep.
Sincerely yours,
-Alexander
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