Envy – a powerful, deeply human emotion – has long been an obstacle to individual and societal growth. While ambition and admiration can inspire people to reach greater heights, envy does the opposite. It breeds resentment, fuels division, and leads to a culture that criticises success rather than emulates it. Nowhere is this more evident than in modern Britain, where an increasing focus on wealth and possessions is overshadowing the real work and effort it takes to succeed.
I recently encountered a perfect example of this when a comment I made on a professional platform (LinkedIn) sparked a reaction. Someone chose to focus, not on the years of effort and risk it took an entrepreneur (Mark Zuckerberg) to build something remarkable, but on the expensive watch on their wrist. This reaction speaks volumes about a growing cultural problem in the UK: envy-driven cynicism.
From Admiration to Resentment
Not too long ago, Britain celebrated hard work, ingenuity, and entrepreneurship. Success was something to aspire to, not something to deride. Yet today, there’s a growing narrative that views wealth with suspicion and success with disdain. Instead of asking, “How did they achieve that?” people increasingly ask, “Why do they have that, and I don’t?”
This mindset isn’t confined to everyday conversations – it’s reflected in the political rhetoric of figures like Kier Starmer and Rachel Reeves. Their constant focus on wealth redistribution, rather than wealth creation, has created an environment where ambition is viewed with suspicion. Instead of promoting policies that encourage innovation and enterprise, they seem more intent on feeding public resentment toward those who succeed.
Eroding Confidence in the UK
The problem with this envy-driven rhetoric is that it doesn’t just target a few individuals; it erodes confidence in the entire economy. Those who strive – entrepreneurs, innovators, and wealth creators – feel increasingly unwelcome in a country that once celebrated their achievements.
The negative impact is already evident. Many successful individuals and businesses are choosing to leave the UK for places like the UAE, where ambition is celebrated rather than punished. The UAE, with its attractive tax policies and pro-business environment, has become a haven for those who feel stifled by the UK’s increasingly hostile climate toward success.
It’s not just about taxes – although high taxes certainly play a role – it’s about mindset. The UAE offers something the UK currently lacks: a culture that respects hard work, rewards success, and doesn’t equate wealth with moral failing. In contrast, the UK’s culture of envy is driving out precisely the people it should be working hardest to retain.
The Danger of Overlooking Effort
Take someone like Mark Zuckerberg, for example. Whether or not you agree with his methods or the impact of his company, you can’t deny that he built something extraordinary. Facebook transformed how billions of people connect and communicate. Yet many are quicker to criticise his wealth or his lifestyle than to acknowledge the skill and determination it took to get there.
This tendency to overlook effort in favour of resenting success is damaging for several reasons:
- It discourages ambition: When society sends the message that success will only make you a target for criticism, fewer people will want to take risks, start businesses, or pursue bold ideas.
- It promotes mediocrity: Envy-driven cynicism leads to a culture that rewards conformity rather than excellence. People are less likely to strive for greatness when they know they’ll be torn down for it.
- It deepens inequality: Ironically, by discouraging entrepreneurship and innovation, envy exacerbates the very inequality it claims to decry. Without new businesses and job creators, economic mobility stagnates.
Envy vs. Admiration: A Tale of Two Mindsets
At its core, envy is about wanting what someone else has without wanting to put in the work to get it. Admiration, on the other hand, inspires people to learn from others’ success and emulate it. Imagine how much stronger the UK would be if, instead of tearing down successful people, we focused on learning from them.
Admiration asks:
- What skills did they develop to succeed?
- What sacrifices did they make along the way?
- How can I apply their lessons to my own life?
Envy, meanwhile, fixates on external markers of success – watches, cars, houses – without considering the years of hard work behind them. It’s a shallow response to a deep process.
The Media and Political Rhetoric: Fuelling the Fire of Envy
The media and political rhetoric play a significant role in fuelling envy. Headlines often highlight wealth and luxury while ignoring the effort and struggle behind it. Similarly, politicians like Starmer and Reeves seem more focused on stoking class resentment than fostering a culture of aspiration.
Their approach feeds the narrative that wealth is inherently bad, and that anyone who succeeds must have done so at the expense of others. This is a dangerous oversimplification that undermines trust in business, discourages entrepreneurship, and creates an “us vs. them” mentality.
The Exodus of Talent
As a result, we’re witnessing a talent drain. High achievers are moving to countries that celebrate rather than resent success. Places like the UAE, with its tax-friendly policies and pro-business mindset, are attracting the very people who drive economic growth.
This isn’t just anecdotal; it’s a growing trend. More and more, you hear of entrepreneurs, executives, and even entire companies relocating to regions where they feel their efforts will be rewarded rather than criticized. The UK, meanwhile, is left wondering why it’s falling behind in the global race for talent and innovation.
A Call to Action: Choose Ambition Over Envy
To break free from the grip of envy, we need to change how we think about success. Instead of resenting the person with the expensive watch, ask yourself what you can learn from them. Instead of criticizing wealth, focus on how you can create value.
Here are a few practical steps we can take as individuals and as a society:
- Celebrate effort, not just results: Recognize that success is often the result of years of hard work and perseverance.
- Learn from those who succeed: Instead of envying successful people, seek to understand what they did right.
- Encourage risk-taking: Create a culture where people feel safe to take risks and pursue bold ideas.
- Promote financial literacy: Many people feel resentful about wealth because they don’t understand how it’s built. Teaching financial literacy can help demystify the process and reduce envy.
- Demand better from political leaders: Encourage leaders who focus on growth, innovation, and opportunity rather than pandering to envy-driven narratives.
Final Thoughts
Envy is a corrosive force that holds individuals and societies back. It turns potential allies into adversaries and stifles the very ambition that drives progress. If Britain wants to remain a place where innovation thrives, we need to move beyond envy and embrace admiration, ambition, and hard work.
So the next time you see someone wearing an expensive watch, don’t focus on the watch – focus on the work it took to earn it. That mindset shift could make all the difference, not just for you, but for the future of the UK.