Emotions — Envy
Envy is our pain at the pleasure of another, which is akin to feeling pleasure at the pain of another. If this emotion is turned against the one who is feeling pleasure, it becomes hatred. If it is directed instead towards the object which gives pleasure to another, which benefits another, it is envy in the narrow sense of the word.
Envy is one of the key issues of social existence, which appears as soon as two higher beings are able to compare themselves with each other… Man is an envious creature who, without the social inhibitions of the envied person, would not be able to develop the social systems that we in modern societies must resort to.
Envy is considered one of the seven deadly sins. The reason is that the idea that the other person has something good to offer causes concern in envy.
The envious person knows that it is not his responsibility to get such, or in fact, does not care what it should be. An example is typical when a child rejects or refuses a toy, but his little brother takes it and has fun trying to grab it.
The causes of envy
Envy is a natural human emotion that arises in the socialization environment and is not a conscious or deliberate reaction. Rather, it is related to a lack of self-acceptance that leads a person to compare himself or herself to others. Thus envy expresses a conflict in the construction of the subject’s self-esteem.
Envy does not necessarily have to be negative. But it will be if left unidentified and unchecked, as it can cause frustration, anxiety, or seeking the evil of others.
A good person can be envious. If he is aware of his feelings and the reasons for arousing them, envy can function as a motivational mechanism for personal development.
Difference between envy and envy
Unlike jealousy, envy does not mean a desire for some right that the other possesses, but simply a desire that the other does not have.
Instead, jealousy should be linked to a fear of replacement or a belief that one has more merit than the person who received the expected good.
For example, “Carmen spends more time at work and I am very jealous.” “I am jealous of David’s promotion because I am more qualified.”
Healthy envy
Using our mother tongue, people can talk about “healthy envy”, indicating that someone wants the same thing, but without trying to take it away from them, or without regretting the fact that they have it.
