on 05-09-2014 10:26 AM
The most embarrassing sin produces the worst in left leaning socialist politics and the mentality of entitlement.
The Age of Envy
The most embarrassing sin produces the worst in politics.
Of the seven deadly sins, envy, may not be the wickedest, but it is the most embarrassing.
To be possessed by envy is to admit a humiliating personal inadequacy:
We do not envy others those attainments, that we think we too might achieve, but those we despair of ever possessing.
Wrath, greed, pride, lust — all assume a certain self-possession. Sloth and gluttony are practically standard issue in times of plenty such as these.
Wrath and pride are the sins of great (but not good) people. (See Rudd)
Envy is the affliction of the insignificant. It is the small persons sin.
I feel privileged that I have gone through my life not having the burden of these hateful thoughts and feelings, in fact I feel just the opposite, I feel privileged to meet successful, kind and ambitious people, they enrich us and our lives with their philanthropy.
Some of the greatest people I have ever met have been wealthy, but you would never know it, and their generosity is heartwarming.
Their selfless work and thinking of ways to help the less fortunate is a unique attribute of the very wealty.
One only has to think of Bill Gates and Twiggy Forest, both work tirelessly to better the humanities.
on 05-09-2014 11:31 AM
Very well said LD
Sadly its so true and we see it (envy) evey day
@lightningdance wrote:The most embarrassing sin produces the worst in left leaning socialist politics and the mentality of entitlement.
The Age of Envy
Envy is the affliction of the insignificant. It is the small persons sin.
I feel privileged that I have gone through my life not having the burden of these hateful thoughts and feelings, in fact I feel just the opposite, I feel privileged to meet successful, kind and ambitious people, they enrich us and our lives with their philanthropy.
Same....
Some of the greatest people I have ever met have been wealthy, but you would never know it, and their generosity is heartwarming.
Their selfless work and thinking of ways to help the less fortunate is a unique attribute of the very wealty.
One only has to think of Bill Gates and Twiggy Forest, both work tirelessly to better the humanities.
Like you I am the same and have met many wonderful "wealthy" people but these people work hard and never expect anything handed to them on a plate and they dont live by the creed that the world owes them a living....
on 05-09-2014 11:50 AM
It was little hard to click on this topic for some reason.
Here's a couple of quotes I like on the subject of envy:
"Jealousy is both reasonable and belongs to reasonable men, while envy is base and belongs to the base, for the one makes himself get good things by jealousy, while the other does not allow his neighbour to have them through envy." Aristotle
"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." Winston Churchill
on 05-09-2014 12:00 PM
From Wikipedia:
Envy (from Latin invidia) is an emotion which "occurs when a person lacks another's superior quality, achievement, or possession and either desires it or wishes that the other lacked it"
Bertrand Russell said that envy was one of the most potent causes of unhappiness.
Not only is the envious person rendered unhappy by his envy, but they also wish to inflict misfortune on others.
Although envy is generally seen as something negative, Russell also believed that envy was a driving force behind the movement towards democracy and must be endured to achieve a more just social system.
However, psychologists have recently suggested that there may be two types of envy: malicious envy and benign envy—benign envy being proposed as a type of positive motivational force.
on 05-09-2014 12:06 PM
Icyfroth wrote:
...However, psychologists have recently suggested that there may be two types of envy: malicious envy and benign envy—benign envy being proposed as a type of positive motivational force.
That sounds to me more like jealousy, like Aristotle said it can inspire someone to achieve.
on 05-09-2014 12:07 PM
what about the other 6
GREED, sloth, wrath, pride, lust and gluttony?
05-09-2014 12:24 PM - edited 05-09-2014 12:28 PM
@boris1gary wrote:what about the other 6
GREED, sloth, wrath, pride, lust and gluttony?
What about them? do you have issues with them?
on 05-09-2014 12:34 PM
icyfroth wrote:
...Bertrand Russell said that envy was one of the most potent causes of unhappiness. Not only is the envious person rendered unhappy by his envy, but they also wish to inflict misfortune on others...
Yes, I agree and this is what Churchill basically said about socialism and envy and its inherent virtue being the sharing of misery.
on 05-09-2014 12:39 PM
@nero_wulf wrote:
@boris1gary wrote:what about the other 6
GREED, sloth, wrath, pride, lust and gluttony?
What about them? do you have issues with them?
Yeah Boris. That's a whole 6 new threads you can start on each sin, lol
05-09-2014 12:45 PM - edited 05-09-2014 12:46 PM
Envy - fits right in with my campaign to SAVE THE BILLIONAIRES - Brilliant. Wonder why Pope Francis hasn't though of it...
“A way has to be found to enable everyone to benefit from the fruits of the earth, and not simply to close the gap between the affluent and those who must be satisfied with the crumbs falling from the table, but above all to satisfy the demands of justice, fairness and respect for every human being.” (Pope Francis, Address to the Food and Agricultural Organization, 6/20/13)
“The times talk to us of so much poverty in the world and this is a scandal. Poverty in the world is a scandal. In a world where there is so much wealth, so many resources to feed everyone, it is unfathomable that there are so many hungry children, that there are so many children without an education, so many poor persons. Poverty today is a cry.” (Pope Francis, Meeting with Students of Jesuit Schools—Q&A, 6/7/13)