You are describing one possible reaction and the implication is that people should try to remain blissfully ignorant to avoid having to experience this type of envy or reduced self-esteem. There are people that have this reaction and do try to avoid it all costs but it's certainly not the only way. I, for one, relish this kind of gritty reality feedback from the world and try to use it to guide my choices. If you get to peek at salaries and find they are unfair, well now you can feel empowered to negotiate from a position where you can revoke an employer's BS of "we need to keep everyone's salary on an even (read: artificially capped) playing field and therefore we can't go making exceptions for you". On the other hand, sometimes you peek and are presently surprised that you landed somewhere actually walking the meritocratic walk. Does it sting to see that some bozo makes more than you? Of course. But now you know and can take steps to rectify the situation. I'm definitely biased toward the growth mindset school of things; I'd say "peeking" is overall net positive in most cases, whether we are talking salaries or any other sensitive information. Now that I think about it, It would be awesome to see everyone's performance reviews. Who's getting a free a pass and who's getting a raw deal and such.