Envy: The Seven Deadly Sins (Seven Deadly Sins)

Rating:
Summary: A brilliant, humorous collection
Review: As the Chicago Tribune once noted, "Reading an essay by Joseph Epstein is much like watching Joe DiMaggio hit a pitched ball: the pleasure is in watching a difficult art performed with matchless grace and ease." This latest collection by one of our greatest essayists in recent decades will be well received by readers of such prior collections as the bestselling "Snobbery: The American Version," "Narcissus Leaves the Pool," "Ambition: The Secret Passion," and "With My Trousers Rolled." Those who are unfamiliar with Epstein's work (can there be anyone unfamiliar such classics as "The Art of the Nap," "Waiter, There's a Paragraph in My Soup" or "Whaddya Drivin?) will find this to be an excellent and highly engaging introduction to possibly our smartest and most engaging critic since Mencken. I read "Envy" not once but twice within a single day. You will too.

Rating:
Summary: Keeping Score
Review: I learned at an early age, probably on the playground, that equality is more an ideal than a fact of nature. Perhaps Jefferson should have written "Wouldn't it be nice if all men were created equal?" sounding like a colonial version of Brian Wilson.

Human behavior works more like this: If a person perceives another to be either above or below him, he can either raise himself up or bring the higher down to his level. The standards used to judge higher and lower vary. Epstein's book Snobbery, which could be a companion to Envy, examines the more superficial standards people use. In childhood pecking order might be based on physical strength. In adulthood money, power, beauty, talent, even the success of one's children become the measurements by which one keeps score with the neighbors. In this way much of human interaction resembles combat or at least unfriendly competition.

An English professor at Northwestern, Epstein explores the matter by drawing on history's metaphysicians (Aristotle, Freud, Schopenhauer, Melville), consulting, in the words of Matthew Arnold, the best that has been known and thought in the world, along with his own experience and observation. In composing an extended essay in definition, he distinguishes envy from its scheming brothers, jealousy and resentment, and reveals the variety of instances in which envy peeks its head over the hedges: anti-Americanism, anti-Semitism, Marxism, youth, beauty, prizes. To Epstein's slim but thorough book I would add only the Latin root, invidere, meaning to look at askance or with malice. Envy encourages partial blindness because when we envy we reduce our view to one part of a life, the Olympic athlete's skill for example, while neglecting the sacrifices and roads not taken.

The persistence and ubiquity of envy suggest it is a permanent aspect of human nature, not something we can white-out from the genetic code. As far as I can tell there is no cure. But a book like this makes us more self-conscious, creating the opportunity for greater self-knowledge and offering a vocabulary for what was previously felt but unnamed.

Rating:
Summary: Confessions of an envier...
Review: In the bibliography of this diminutive book on a gargantuan subject, the author writes: "Mine is a book only partly built upon other books. Much more of its material comes from simply living in the world and looking about. Even more, it derives from gazing into my own heart, which has never for long, alas, been entirely envy-free." Thus a study of envy becomes a near confessional and self-searching as to the "why" of envy. Why does one feel envy towards things others have? Does envy figure largely in the history of the world and its political and social evolution? Is envy an integral part of human nature, or have we created a world that is laced to the core with envy? Of course there are few, if any, answers to these questions above the controversial. This book provides a brief and entertaining survey into the world of envy. The subject being as it is, the book is of a more necessarily philosophical tone.

Those who have studied envy may not find much new here, apart from the confessions of the author concerning the envy that has impacted his life. These confessions allow one to reflect on one's own trangressions of envy and to feel a little comfort that others have also allowed themselves to sink so low. It may be a tautology to say that those without envy cannot possibly be human. Who, no matter how successful, has not had a twinge of envy for another's wealth, lifestyle, physique, spouse or lover, moral virtue or indifference to moral depravity? Who has never smiled at the failure of such people, even though no real ill will is directed at them? The only comforting words to those self-reflecting on these issues are "you are not alone."

This book also addresses more technical issues, such as the levels that envy can occur at. There's jealousy, envy, resentment, and, finally, "ressentiment" (which takes the form of "I'm not good at painting, but painting as an art form is overvalued anyway"). You don't have to be moral scum to succumb to any of these forms of envy. What you can do is be aware of them and not allow them to control your life. This book will at least guide you in that, and it may make you appreciate the levels your envy has not reached (if you're so fortunate). But again, the subject being as it is, much that is subjective enters the playing field. How does one know if one is acting from an envious urge or a feeling of injustice done to one or others? These can be dangerous lines to draw, and interpretations of motivations can, and will almost always inevitably be, mired down in cross-interpretation.

The book does a good job of bashing the envy created by "socialism" and the tyrannies that arose in its name in the Soviet Union and China, but capitalism as a potential hotbed of envy is only lightly touched upon. Surely the contemporary United States is brewing with envy on multiple levels, driven by insatiablilty and spattered with the concern for the individual over the collective (a generalization, true, but one for which countless examples exist). The book would be even more relevant if it touched heavier on the envy created by the world's current superpower, and the ramifications of this envy both domestically and globally. To be fair, he does give us the examples of the Greeks, who knew that they were riddled with envy, and made efforts to keep the emotion in check. The country that I live in would do very well to learn from, at least on this topic, our seemingly wiser ancestors.

So take what you will from this tiny book. It is more of a popular book than a scholarly treatise (which is likely the aim of the series that can trace itself back to an idea of Ian Fleming's). If you have never studied or read a book on envy, then dig right in, there is plenty here to chew on. There is a long reading list in the bibliography (do not skip the bibliograpy!) for those seeking further enlightenment or tentacled confusion - depending upon your point of view. Go ahead and don't be ashamed to get a little medieval, along with the author, and CONFESS!! YOU ARE FILLED WITH ENVY!! CONFESS!! CONFESS!! Pardon me, my Richelieu is showing.

Rating:
Summary: Confessions of an envier...
Review: In the bibliography of this diminutive book on a gargantuan subject, the author writes: "Mine is a book only partly built upon other books. Much more of its material comes from simply living in the world and looking about. Even more, it derives from gazing into my own heart, which has never for long, alas, been entirely envy-free." Thus a study of envy becomes a near confessional and self-searching as to the "why" of envy. Why does one feel envy towards things others have? Does envy figure largely in the history of the world and its political and social evolution? Is envy an integral part of human nature, or have we created a world that is laced to the core with envy? Of course there are few, if any, answers to these questions above the controversial. This book provides a brief and entertaining survey into the world of envy. The subject being as it is, the book is of a more necessarily philosophical tone.

Those who have studied envy may not find much new here, apart from the confessions of the author concerning the envy that has impacted his life. These confessions allow one to reflect on one's own trangressions of envy and to feel a little comfort that others have also allowed themselves to sink so low. It may be a tautology to say that those without envy cannot possibly be human. Who, no matter how successful, has not had a twinge of envy for another's wealth, lifestyle, physique, spouse or lover, moral virtue or indifference to moral depravity? Who has never smiled at the failure of such people, even though no real ill will is directed at them? The only comforting words to those self-reflecting on these issues are "you are not alone."

This book also addresses more technical issues, such as the levels that envy can occur at. There's jealousy, envy, resentment, and, finally, "ressentiment" (which takes the form of "I'm not good at painting, but painting as an art form is overvalued anyway"). You don't have to be moral scum to succumb to any of these forms of envy. What you can do is be aware of them and not allow them to control your life. This book will at least guide you in that, and it may make you appreciate the levels your envy has not reached (if you're so fortunate). But again, the subject being as it is, much that is subjective enters the playing field. How does one know if one is acting from an envious urge or a feeling of injustice done to one or others? These can be dangerous lines to draw, and interpretations of motivations can, and will almost always inevitably be, mired down in cross-interpretation.

The book does a good job of bashing the envy created by "socialism" and the tyrannies that arose in its name in the Soviet Union and China, but capitalism as a potential hotbed of envy is only lightly touched upon. Surely the contemporary United States is brewing with envy on multiple levels, driven by insatiablilty and spattered with the concern for the individual over the collective (a generalization, true, but one for which countless examples exist). The book would be even more relevant if it touched heavier on the envy created by the world's current superpower, and the ramifications of this envy both domestically and globally. To be fair, he does give us the examples of the Greeks, who knew that they were riddled with envy, and made efforts to keep the emotion in check. The country that I live in would do very well to learn from, at least on this topic, our seemingly wiser ancestors.

So take what you will from this tiny book. It is more of a popular book than a scholarly treatise (which is likely the aim of the series that can trace itself back to an idea of Ian Fleming's). If you have never studied or read a book on envy, then dig right in, there is plenty here to chew on. There is a long reading list in the bibliography (do not skip the bibliograpy!) for those seeking further enlightenment or tentacled confusion - depending upon your point of view. Go ahead and don't be ashamed to get a little medieval, along with the author, and CONFESS!! YOU ARE FILLED WITH ENVY!! CONFESS!! CONFESS!! Pardon me, my Richelieu is showing.

Rating:
Summary: Envy is no fun? Get real......
Review: The author begins on page 1 by stating 'Of the seven deadly sins, only envy is not fun at all. .... Surely it is the one that people are least likely to want to own up to, for to do so is to admit that one is probably ungenerous, mean, small-hearted'. What nonsense. First off 'envy' can be fun, and I know because as I drive down the road in my new, sensible car, fully paid for, I admit I envy the person in the candy apple red Porsche or the candy apple red new VW bug. I envy their ability to either go for the fun, or if they are married, I envy their ability to convince a spouse to go for something fun and not sensible.

Secondly, envy is one thing people I know are the most apt to own up to. And I and other envious types are amongst the most altruistic and giving of people. Someone can be envious and also active in Habitat For Humanity, Doctors Without Borders, local scouts and caregiver groups. I know I am one of those people.

There are so many people whom I know who are envious types who are also the kindest and most gentlest of humans. So I disagree with the author from the get go. And while I find some elements of the book interesting, when you make such an ignorant statement from the get go, you cast doubts with me, that you know your stuff.

Rating:
Summary: Mediocre
Review: The book is better than the reviews above suggest. The format is very cute, kind of like the new PG Wodehouse editions: small book, small print, 14 short chapter in 109 pages. Reading about sins, you don't want quirky originality. Epstein is so well-read this little book contains a good collection of the wisdom on this ageless subject.

Rating:
Summary: Soul Sickness
Review: The first of a projected series about the 7 deadly sins by various authors, commissioned by the Oxford University Press, Joseph Epstein's small book, ENVY follows on the heels of his treatise on SNOBBERY: The American Version. His research of these maladies make him a kind of connoisseur of soul sickness. Examples from literature, observation, and introspection document their pervasiveness and the possible utility of these psychological phenomena. He differentiates between jealousy and envy which are often confused; jealousy being applied to one's own possessions and envy to that of others. Envy, he says, is felt in varying degrees causing discomfort from a twinge to a holocaust. The ability to deal with such subjects with candor and a soupcon of humor is the mark of a very special mind.

Rating:
Summary: Perfect Case Study
Review: Try the following experiment. Read this book; then go read Robert Frank's Luxury Fever. What you get is a comparison between a literary intellectual (Epstein) , hollow, babbling, using sentences and quoting, say, Kant, and a thinker (Frank) who goes into the neurotransmitters of pecking order. (even then there have been plenty of new research on envy , see Zizzo, Clark,etc.)How can you write a book on envy without being connected with the sciences of Human Nature? Pecking order is something that has a long biological & evolutionary dimension.It is at the cornerstone of the Heuristics & biases tradition of Kahneman & Tversky and their peers.
This book is valuable as an experiment: the literary intellectual is no longer equipped in handling matters of significance.
I am sorry to be cruel but I like to deal with Truth not ornaments.