| |
|
The Ups and Downs of Envy |
|
|
Envy has been a prevalent emotion throughout history. Just like joy, anger, and
sorrow, I believe envy is also a natural psychological instinct of human beings.
When people see others surpassing them or those who were once inferior to them
suddenly rising above them, they often feel uncomfortable and jealous. However,
envy can easily lead to immoral behavior. From ancient times to the present,
there have been many examples of great mistakes caused by envy. The most
well-known one is probably from "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," where Zhou Yu,
jealous of Zhuge Liang's talent, tried to persecute him but failed and died of
anger, putting the Wu and Shu alliance in great danger. Zhou Yu was undoubtedly
a top talent, but his envy led to his death, which was not worth it.
Looking at it from this perspective, envy does more harm than good. It's no
wonder that some people say envy is a meaningless pursuit of trouble. Often,
people's envy results in them staying in one place and hoping others will fall
or using means to hinder them. However, on the other hand, a little envy might
be a good thing. If someone feels envious, it means they see the gap between
themselves and others. If they have the ambition to catch up and want to do so
through their own efforts, isn't that a good thing? Like how Lian Po realized
his mistake and continued to work with Lin Xiangru to protect the country after
feeling jealous.
Therefore, when the seed of envy arises in our hearts, we should face it with
the right attitude and turn our inferiority into confidence and strength. If we
achieve that, no matter what the outcome is, we have won because we have
conquered ourselves. If we resort to dishonorable means to achieve "equality,"
then we can only be called petty.
Some people die from envy, while others resurrect from it. Let us all stand tall
and be confident and strong in the face of envy. |
|
|
|
|
