Well I imagine that you are just going to have to learn to get along with the idea of supporting other. We in the US graduate just over 80% of our children from High School. Less than 50% of our population has an associates. Each year American companies are being encouraged and worst of all being assisted and rewarded by our government in off shoring thousands of low skill jobs. Each year we incarcerate thousand for non violent victimless social crimes, therefore rendering them unemployable. Each year thousands of newly unemployed are added to to the roles Each year the right complains about more and more people being on the government dole. Kind of looks like a never ending supply of undesirables. Too bad we couldn't kill them when they do not contribute!
Strange logic? Liberal means in generous amounts. The Joneses have everything in more generous amounts and I choose not to envy such and depart from my country conservative ways.
I don't remember what age it was that I realized envy or jealousy of others is a form of not understanding life. While one may want another's possession or maybe status, would they really trade if they had to also take all their problems? We all have blessings as well as challenges...
I remember counseling a client that envy is rooted in a resentment that someone has something that -- in your perception -- they didn't have to work for. Or that others have things that you (or your parents) didn't make the choice to have. And under that resentment is usually a core belief that you "deserve" more than you have -- and most people with envy can't tell you why they should deserve more. And that's when a counselor works on uncovering the why, which usually is some idea that is pretty psychologically unhealthy. That said, envy is a pretty normal emotion. The key is to look under it and know where it's coming from in you, so you can not let it cause acting out behaviors and suffering. When I was a kid I was rather envious of the 3 families across the street who all had Olympic sized swimming pools. My lawyer-father refused to put one in because in his mind they were ripe for a lawsuit if any one swimming at our pool would get hurt. His primary belief was in risk management. LOL
I have all that I need and have had all that I actually wanted. I am a bum. I do what I do. I don't aspire. That being said, I don't have ambition enough to try to achieve lofty goals and possessions . I did minimal skill work to avoid stress but did a good job. My favorite was farm work and I came home often covered in manure. But I slept/sleep well and have time to study what I like.
i don't envy the jones's or anyone like them. the life i have is the one i'm building for myself. it's not made of anything fancy. and i'm ok with that.
I was searching my mind earlier to day to see if I had ever been envious of anybody. I did remember once. Hubby and I were invited to a gathering at a casual friend's house. It might have been a housewarming. The house was built beside a pond big enough to qualify as a small lake. It was huge and luxurious. It was L shaped and had a porch all around the back of it that faced the pond. Every bedroom opened onto the porch and had French doors. The master bedroom was half as big as my whole house. The husband was incredibly handsome. The next day, I felt envious of the wife. I looked around my modest home and compared it to hers. I looked at my average looking husband......... Then I thought about my average looking, dependable husband, my almost paid for modest home, my happy healthy children and it was all good. I found out later that her husband had a weakness for whiskey, women and gambling. They wound up divorcing and selling the house.
No, I'm not envious of anyone. God has blessed my life with more than I ever dreamed of. My Spouse, children, grandchildren, and siblings, and forever friends are priceless. As for material things they come and go and some are a necessary part of our lives...but things aren't priceless to me... only people.
Wait! I want to win a huge lottery. Of course, my hubby says he wants his half off the top, after the government's half, because I would give it all away--probably to the Jones'. But it would be fun to help a lot of people. I certainly don't need any more stuff. OK, I'll bite, who is Mitakuye Oyasin?
It's not a "who," it's a "What does it translate to in English?" Check it out here. I just learned something.
Thanks to D'ellyn and you, John. This might be just what I was looking for to get All Lives to Matter. I said Namaste in yoga class (for old people) thinking it meant I SEE you. We just need to spread the understanding around more.
I used to be envious before and during my spiritual journey. I'm not now and I hope I helped my sons and grandbabies not to be.