No one would deny that feeling envy is unpleasant, or that feeling envious sometimes leads us down a path we wish we hadn’t taken. Envy is frequently corrosive and destructive. And yet, the right kind of envy can serve an important personal and social function. It spurs competition and improvement. The title of a recent paper from the University of California, Santa Barbara, nicely captures the effect. It’s called “Inspired by Hope, Motivated by Envy.”

• Uncategorized