In our daily lives, we constantly compare ourselves to others, both subconsciously and unconsciously. When we scroll through our social media feeds, we come across an endless barrage of “successful” people, constantly reinforcing the idea that no matter how productive we feel, there is always someone more accomplished.
Anton Chekhov’s short story “Gooseberries” is a clear indication that our tendency to compare is not a recent phenomenon. Ultimately, the takeaway is that whether you are pursuing success or wealth, lacking a grounded sense of humanity can easily distort your understanding of what it means to live genuinely.
At its heart, “Gooseberries” suggests that real success depends on perspective. It’s all about our mindset toward our lives, rather than what we accumulate. Chekhov does this by contrasting two brothers, Nikolai and Ivan, who have very different views on their personal lives.
Nikolai becomes consumed by upward comparison. Having tasted privilege as a member of “hereditary nobility,” he grows obsessed with recreating an idealized vision of success, complete with country estates and, most symbolically, gooseberries. Nikolai compares himself to those whom he sees as being richer and continually raises the threshold for what constitutes happiness, manifesting in a worldview that cherishes “falsehoods that exalt [him] more than meaner truths that are a thousand strong.”
Sound familiar? Today, those very gooseberries have been replaced by luxury brands, viral success stories and highlight reels that make so-called ordinary lives feel inadequate. We scroll through social media and compare our lives to others, causing us to believe that fulfillment is only one more promotion, purchase or vacation away, but is always out of reach.
Yes, the environment has changed from the crowded marketplace avenues of Renaissance Europe to Instagram reels, but the urge to gauge one’s own life in relation to others hasn’t shifted at all. Comparison may be wired into our humanity, but when we choose awareness over instinct, we can learn to step off its endless treadmill.
As for Ivan, he is like that one friend who notices little things that people overlook, like how hard it is for the neighbor to carry groceries, how difficult it is for the co-worker to juggle several different projects or how a kid is chasing down a soccer ball about to roll toward the street and go under a car. Ivan is the one willing to lend a hand to them all.
While Nikolai seems to be looking up into the sky, filled with a sense of longing to attain that next accomplishment, Ivan is looking sideways and downward, aware of other people’s challenges and questioning what comfort really means when built on ignorance or indifference. He measures joy not by its potential to be flashy, but by the everyday treasures we should all attend to — the laughs we share with our friends and family and the moments of gratitude.
What Chekhov is critiquing through Nikolai is just as relevant today because our society often measures success by its display, designer bags, luxury cars and publicized charitable donations clearly meant for attention, rather than by the diligence and perseverance that was required to truly earn it. Many people polish moments to get applause, rather than fully experiencing them and finding true value in them.
As a result, we judge ourselves by others’ definitions of “happiness” rather than by our own. We should live lives of empathy, simplicity and genuine connection with others because these are often overlooked things that truly fulfill our lives.
We cannot allow ourselves to be like Nikolai and fall into the trap of measuring our self-worth by the perceived glamorous lives of others on platforms like Instagram. We cannot continue to be spectators in other people’s lives. We cannot continue to measure our days against another person’s curated highlights, someone’s perfect vacation, career achievement or latte art. When we measure ourselves against someone else’s carefully curated frame, even the simple things — our breakfast, our routines, our little achievements — can start to feel unreasonably inadequate.
For instance, a friend posts their breakfast, an avocado toast with a soft-boiled egg, while you’re eating cereal straight from the box because you’re running late. Someone shares their color-coded planner, while your to-do list is a screenshot of a messy notes app. A classmate posts a quiet “study morning” at a sunlit desk while you’re cramming your flashcard review on the bus.
But it is these less-than-perfect moments that never get captured and posted — the messy, realistic parts of our everyday lives, the mistakes and the small victories that make us uniquely human, even if we never share them with anyone. None of these moments is dramatic or extraordinary and indeed, they don’t have to be, yet they shape who we are as people.
Ultimately, true happiness is attainable by recognizing and appreciating our similarities and differences with one another, the simple joys life brings and resisting the tempting urge of comparison. And yes, I admit, that’s easier said than done. It can be found in the quietly rich moments Chekhov so lovingly paints — the carefully tended garden paths, starling cotes and carp in the pond, the soft patter of rain on the window and the gentle, attentive care of someone bringing you tea and jam.
Michelle Belakh is a freshman double-majoring in linguistics and political science.
Views expressed in the opinions pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece that represents the view of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the staff editorial.