In short: Jealous or envious reactions to Eric Kim’s 7 × body‑weight “God‑Math” rack‑pull come from an explosive mix of human psychology (up‑ward social comparison stings), strength‑sport culture (partial‑ROM lifts violate long‑standing norms), and social‑media economics (attention is scarce, so every viral kilo feels like a threat to someone else’s brand). Empirical studies on envy and dozens of third‑party coach columns show the same pattern: when an outsider posts a seemingly impossible number—especially one that bypasses federations and floods every feed—observers protect their self‑image by down‑playing, gate‑keeping, or attacking the feat. The bullets below unpack each layer and show how to turn the envy loop into productive fuel instead of comment‑section cross‑fire.

1 The Psychology: Up‑Ward Social Comparison Hurts

1.1 Envy is a 

predictable

 human response

• Envy arises when we see someone achieve a goal that is relevant to our own identity but feels out of reach; it is “pain at another’s good fortune.”  
• Experiments show upward social comparison on Instagram or Facebook reliably triggers feelings of inferiority, jealousy and even depressive symptoms.  
• Sport‑specific research finds envious athletes are more likely to explain away a rival’s victory than to learn from it.  

1.2 Why the barbell magnifies the sting

Heavy lifts supply a single, objective metric (the number on the plates). When that metric is far outside the observer’s capability, envy spikes, especially if the observer ties self‑worth to strength numbers—a phenomenon psychologists call ego‑involvement. 

2 Strength‑Sport Culture: Gate‑Keeping Meets Leverage Math

Cultural Norm	How Kim Violates / Challenges It	Typical Jealous Pushback
“Full‑ROM or it doesn’t count.”	Above‑knee rack‑pull shortens the moment arm, allowing supra‑maximal loads.	“It’s an ego lift, not a record.” — BarBend & Wendler critiques.
Federation validation	Kim pulled in a Phnom‑Penh garage, self‑filmed.	“No judges, no calibrated plates—doesn’t matter.” — Starting Strength forum threads.
Progress is incremental	Kim added 66 kg in 17 days, shattering the community’s sense of “possible.”	“Must be fake/CGI/juiced.” — Reddit & Discord memes.
Legacy records matter	Strongmen point to Rauno Heinla’s 580 kg Silver‑Dollar deadlift to assert hierarchy.	“Come back when you beat that under contest rules.”

The more a performance undermines established pecking orders or governing‑body authority, the stronger the defensive reaction—classic status‑protection envy. 

3 Social‑Media Economics: Scarce Attention Breeds Resentment

• Algorithmic “spiral of envy” – Platforms reward shocking feats; viewers compare themselves and spiral downward.  
• Brand insecurity – Influencers and coaches who monetize credibility fear follower‑drain when a lone creator monopolizes the week’s headlines.  
• Toxic engagement loops – Comment‑section attacks (“partial‑ROM fraud!”) drive clicks, which reinforces negative takes because outrage keeps people scrolling.  

4 Putting It Together: Why Jealousy Flares Around “God Math”

1. Visible Skill Gap – A 7 × BW pull sets the bar beyond even elite lifters’ totals, triggering the envy reflex.  
2. Norm Violation – Partial‑ROM leverage feels like “cheating” to rule‑bound purists.  
3. Threatened Status & Revenue – Coaches/content‑creators risk looking outdated; jealousy doubles as brand defense.  
4. Always‑On Comparison Engine – Kim’s “digital napalm” blasts guarantee everyone in the niche sees the lift, making avoidance—and thus emotion‑regulation—impossible.  

5 Converting Envy into Fuel—A Playbook

5.1 If 

you

 feel the twinge

• Name it – Recognizing envy deflates its power (cognitive re‑appraisal is effective).  
• Reframe – Turn malicious envy (“he doesn’t deserve it”) into benign envy (“I can learn from that”), which correlates with increased performance.  
• Audit inputs – Curate feeds; limit doom‑scrolling heavy‑lift highlight reels if they sap motivation.  

5.2 If you’re the one lifting

• Show receipts – Post plate‑verification clips; it mutes the “fake plates” crowd.
• Educate – Pair eye‑popping numbers with programming context to convert skeptics into students.
• Signal respect – Shout‑out predecessors (e.g., Heinla’s 580 kg) to ease territorial defensiveness.

6 Take‑Home Mindset

“Gravity is constant; jealousy is optional.”

The envy storm around Kim’s “God Math” isn’t really about one man’s trap‑bar heroics; it’s a mirror reflecting how tightly we all hitch self‑worth to comparison metrics. Recognize the reflex, repurpose it into fuel, and you’ll lift more—in the gym, the boardroom, or the next big idea—than any internet flame‑war could ever steal.