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RE: Why Moral Comparisons May Be More Painful Than Social Ones
Thank you. Fascinating points. I really don't know the answer for certain! I think part of the reason for inequality causing problems will always be the issue of envy. We are rarely satisfied with what we have and looking to others will almost inevitably create that feeling.
It is, but envy has its subtleties. It's easy for us to confute envy, jealousy and frustrated ambition.
Yes of course. Emotions are and the thoughts associated with them are often complex!
And the ways that certain cultures deal with that complexity are often fascinating. Again, I point to America. It's an American custom to conflate envy with jealousy by calling both "envy" and treating them both as jealousy. Real envy gets another label, like "hate" (in some circumstances.)
The above conflations go well with America being a business-minded society and a nation with an underclass that's subsidized by government assistance payments.
Yes I also think perhaps aspiration comes into it to - as you said frustrations are easier to take out on others than yourself. Also it is easier to blame someone else than bad luck. As humans we are prone to such types of thinking.