Raele Altano argues that befriending people with higher status won't protect you from envy. She's seen people with modest means celebrate others' wins while wealthy people resent them. Choose friends based on character and internal security, not their bank account.
So I saw a video from someone recently saying that they only aim to be friends with people who are better off than them because those people won't be haters when good things happen to that person because they already have everything that that person could want or would want to achieve. And I couldn't disagree with this concept more. Just because someone has more than you doesn't mean they're going to be happy when you get that thing too, or good things start happening to you too. I have seen people have nothing and be so happy for the people around them, their friends or family members who are succeeding and moving forward. And I've seen people who have everything, who are right at the top, yet they're unhappy when someone else gets a success or a win or an achievement, or they feel threatened by it. A person's current status does not equate to their level of happiness or joy for someone else. The two are not mutually exclusive. It is about someone's character and their security within themselves and their happiness within their own life. So please keep this in mind when you are taking inventory of your own social circle and cultivating new friendships or relationships. It is not just about associating with the person who's doing better than you because they're not gonna hate on you when you do well. They could have everything and still not want you to have a single freaking thing.
