{
  "id": 17472193,
  "title": "‘Are people really happy for you?’: Singaporeans discuss envy and success among friends",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/are-people-really-happy-for-you-singaporeans-discuss-envy-and-success",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-31T19:30:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Independent Singapore",
    "slug": "the-independent-singapore",
    "url": "https://theindependent.sg/are-people-really-happy-for-you-singaporeans-discuss-envy-and-success-among-friends"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Living in a society where comparing one's achievements to others is common, especially when catching up with friends after many years, can be an unavoidable part of life. A netizen on Reddit questioned whether people can genuinely be happy for others, or if they harbor a subtle envy while pretending not to. They were also interested in hearing about other people's experiences, particularly if they had noticed any changes in the way people treated them when they were doing better financially. The post concluded by asking if Singaporeans are naturally competitive or if they simply grew up in an environment that fosters constant comparisons.\n\nNetizens shared their perspectives on the subject. One user noted that many people are happy for their family and friends when they succeed. They argued that being competitive in life doesn't mean wishing for others' failures. \"It's dumb to be unhappy when people close to you succeed because being surrounded by successful people has its benefits,\" they wrote.\n\nOthers acknowledged that it's normal to feel envious or resentful when witnessing others, especially close acquaintances, achieve more. \"Envy can be a source of motivation. There are those who brag about their success using unfair means, and then there are humble individuals genuinely deserving of our support,\" a netizen commented.\n\nOne user even suggested that envy and happiness for someone else's success could coexist. \"It's simple. True friends will celebrate your achievements, while those who never cared about you in the first place won't; the same goes for those who are always blaming their surroundings,\" they added.\n\nUltimately, the post suggested that comparing oneself to others is a natural human tendency, but it shouldn't dictate how we treat people. The key, according to the discussion, is to feel more secure about our own lives and focus on becoming better individuals to achieve our goals and dreams, without compromising our values.",
  "summary": "SINGAPORE: In life, comparing one’s successes to others can definitely feel unavoidable. For some, comparisons become more noticeable with age, especially during events where people catch up and have a conversation about how they choose to live their lives after so many years. This has been a discussion on Reddit , where a netizen openly questioned if people can really be genuinely happy for…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}