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  • Essay / The Ugly Emotion: Envy

    Table of ContentsSources of EnvyInfluence of EnvyHow to Control EnvyWorks CitedEnvy is much more than an annoying emotion. Some psychologists believe that envy is an emotion that exists from the beginning of life (i.e., innate) and must be controlled. Personally, I believe that it is an emotion that everyone has but that no one admits. People easily admit to other emotions like anxiety, depression, inferiority, etc., but envy? We don't admit it, not even to ourselves. But above all, we keep our desire secret towards the person we envy. No one I've known has taken advantage of envy. On the other hand, many have been cursed with envy. Do you remember the biblical Cain? He murdered his brother Abel out of envy. And Joseph? He was sold by his brothers out of envy. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an Original EssayWhat Is Envy Actually? Envy is a bitter feeling that arises when we see that another person has something that we do not have but would like to have. This feeling makes you want to see the envied person hurt, dishonored or knocked down from their position. Envy is like a cancer that slowly takes hold of a person’s thoughts, so that “the envious man feels that the fortune of others is his misfortune; their profit their loss; their blessing, their bane; their health, their illness; their promotion, their demotion; their success, their failure. It should be noted that envy is not the same thing as comparison. Envy involves making comparisons, but comparing is not always envy. A man can compare himself and his achievements to another man and yet feel no envy. Technically speaking, envy also results from reluctance, lust, emulation, and feeling jealous, although these concepts are related, often used together, and sometimes used synonymously. Sources of Envy Some psychologists believe that envy is a learned characteristic that children acquire early in life. First, envy is particularly prevalent among people who feel like failures. When a person tries something and doesn't succeed as they hoped, they become envious of other people who have succeeded. Second, envy is almost always an expression of inferiority. Consciously or unconsciously, the envious person considers himself inferior to other men and he does not like to be in this position. Inferiority is often accompanied by the belief that we have been deprived of something we rightly deserve. The influence of envy This affects entire societies. This affects our thinking, so that we look for faults in people we envy and rejoice when they fall. This influences our speech and leads us to gossip, criticize and spread rumors that can harm the position of others. It affects our feelings. Our feelings are now characterized by malice, revenge, delinquency, violence, even murder or suicide. It is obvious that envy can prevent us from getting along with others. The worst thing is that envy separates us from God. God doesn't like envy!How to control envyFirst, understand the nature of envy. Understanding is a fundamental step to solving any problem. When we know what envy is, why it arises, and how it affects us, we can be more alert to its dangers, more aware of its reach, and better able to rid it from our lives. Second, we can deal with envy by recognizing its prevalence. Envy is a universal attitude. Everyone struggles, 49(5), 454-459.