This response feels foreign to me. I don't relate to it. I don't understand how one persons accomplishments somehow make another person less of a person. I just get happy or proud of people when they accomplish things. Sometimes I think this is partially why I'm such an American Football fan; because I like to watch people accomplish things.
And that's for the better, seriously.
This is part of group politics; some people like to put sexist remarks and call it 'girl games', I noticed boys did it as well, only covered under certain machismo.
(I am reminded of what my sister used to say, "You know, there are certain types of people who had a bad opinion of someone else, and the best way to know it is just by praising that someone else in front of them. They will follow every 'they're good, aren't they?' with 'yes, but...'.")
It also depends on each person's situation. Perhaps in our peak experiences, we can be happy with other's successes. But not everyone has the best mood all the day... If someone's life has been particularly sucks these days, it's not hard to offended by little things. It's very easy to misread.
There is no such thing as "better than". People just have different incentives and priorities. People are born into different situations and have different opportunities. So how could one persons accomplishments be an implication of being "better"??
In reading your post, I realized that this might be part of the reason why Facebook are inherently annoying.
I just don't get it. This is one of those things that I don't understand about people.
Lack of self confidence hurts. That is all I can say.
Wow! I am so happy to read someone else articulating something that also confuses me, and I've often thought the same thing to myself. (With the exception of the American Football thing, no offense, that I don't quite get.) However, I also usually get all "Way to go!!!!" when I see someone accomplishing great things or doing well.
I've noticed that people often like to take others down when they feel good about themselves.
But that is the exact opposite of a spirit of collaboration, it is rather a negative and corrupt form of competition. Healthy competition + healthy collaboration works best. Perhaps? It seems they are both necessary and both work together. (pondering.)
Most people do both, at different times, in different aspects of one's lives. I know I'd done it. I hope you've never done it. It's not good and it's not healthy. This is very different than your standard competition, yes....
But it exists, and we are not talking about validation; at least I am not talking about whether this is good or bad, right or wrong. OP wants information, I gave it.