Benign envy: is there a dark side of light green?

Russell Belk provides a thought-provoking analysis of the interplay between envy and consumption. On the one hand, envy fuels consumption (Palaver 2005), a notion that is overlooked by consumer researchers but reflected in the popular expression, “keeping up with the Joneses” (Matt 2003). On the other hand, the domain of consumption has shaped experiences of envy. Greater discretionary incomes and more access to credit have made it easier for consumers to acquire coveted items that are widely available through mass production (Belk 2011). As a result, consumers now can hope to acquire coveted items without wishing or doing harm to the envied others who already have them (Belk 2008). Advertising tempts consumers with images of affluent others who live the good life (Belk & Pollay 1985) but avoid the resentment typically associated with their enviable positions (Belk 2008). These and other factors documented in Belk’s article in this issue of the AMS Review have produced a new and improved brand of envy. Consequently, consumption provides an ideal context in which to extend theorizing of envy. We suggest another reason why consumption is an ideal context for advancing knowledge of envy, especially its emulative form. In contrast to other contexts in which “leveling up” means expending efforts to better oneself (e.g., by acquiring new skills or enviable traits), “leveling up” in the context of consumption often has been associated with negative outcomes. According to Belk (2008, p. 219), “If consumer envy is truly benign, its consequences should be positive or at least neutral.” In this commentary, we discuss downsides of benign envy and theorize envy as a potential source of vulnerability, especially for low income consumers. Thus, despite being without malice, benign envy may not be harmless for consumers.