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In particular, it is absurd to hope to banish envy of other people's possessions or fortunes, if only because the spirit of envy can lead to emulation and ambition and have positive consequences.

— Christopher Hitchens

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Jealousy

More quotes by Christopher Hitchens

Intellectuals never sound more foolish than when posing as the last civilised man.

Unacknowledged Legislation: Writers in the Public Sphere (2000)

Take the risk of thinking for yourself. Much more happiness, truth, beauty and wisdom will come to you that way.

A good liar must have a good memory. Kissinger is a stupendous liar with a remarkable memory.

Emancipate yourself from the idea of a celestial dictatorship and you've taken the first step to becoming free.

The reading public isn't born that doesn't think foreigners are either funny or faintly sinister.

For the Sake of Argument: Essays and Minority Reports (1993)

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If a poor person envies a rich person, he is no better than the rich person.

Leo Tolstoy

In a consumer society there are inevitably two kinds of slaves: the prisoners of addiction and the prisoners of envy.

Ivan Illich Tools for Conviviality (1973)

The laws would not prevent each man from living according to his inclination, unless individuals harmed each other; for envy creates the beginning of strife.

Democritus Freeman (1948)

It is in the character of very few men to honor without envy a friend who has prospered.

Aeschylus Oresteia (-458)

Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Christopher Hitchens (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.