The bone of envy

This planet offers numerous reasons for unhappiness: wants, desires, expectations, impulsivity, greed, and dissatisfaction; however the most promising one that assures grief is envy. The potency of envy is tremendous. Resentment towards another owing to perception of lack of something that the other person possesses is hardly the emotion expected of an actualized soul. Envious people are not simply resentful within themselves; they wish to inflict adversity on the object of their envy. From a psychological standpoint, envy could be a tool for improvement and motivation; if only used constructively. Benign envy is an inspiring force…
Why look outside there’s so much to sort within!
A comparison graph of shortcomings of the self with the aptitudes of another obviously reveals an agonizing contrast; the wise choice would be to avoid drawing it! ‘Invidia’ the Latin word for envy means non-sight or a lack of sight. Those who envy are selectively blind to their possessions. They see the empty half of the glass; magnifying shortcomings and minimizing virtues, such that all merits seem defunct. Emptiness invades the interior; the void gets so sore that one is unable to bear the pain alone. The focus shifts to the external world and self-dislike is then projected outward as annoyance towards one who has the abilities to be ‘liked’.
Just another emotion
Externalizing emotions involve open expression of contempt and allow for venting. They may not be defensible, yet they qualify as better than envy. Envy involves more than emotion. Envy devastates. Cognition, reasoning, memories; all get tarnished with a negative perception of the person simply because he or she is perceived to possess something positive. It is one rare emotion that is felt for another without an act of commission by the one envied. It is more complicated than one apprehends.
Survival of the fittest
If Darwin’s theory was right, the fittest ought to be the focus of attention of the lesser mortals. It then would and should direct the ‘not so fit’ towards self-betterment and growth. No 2 fingerprint whorls are alike; least of all, traits of humans. Everyone is dissimilar; some are genetically and environmentally sanctified to look, talk, express, study, perform, earn, innovate, and succeed better and sooner than others; while others sit back frustrated and unfulfilled; like children of the lesser God. If the envy the bright ones rouse is used profitably it can better the effort of everyone around. Constructive envy is the need of the hour, to identify why we’re not as good as the rest and toil harder to get there.
Constructive vs. Destructive envy
Motivation has been well understood as an inner, willful, conscious and coveted desire to achieve. May it be a body contour or worldly riches; the pull theory is based on the tug that the goal generates to attract one to it. The drive theory however supersedes the pull philosophy. Internal determination for betterment is a greater driver. Destructive envy follows an external locus of control and arouses passive aggressive contempt over the fortune of others. Constructive envy motivates change to attain that very fortune with an inner accountability for ones actions and the will to toil to get to the top.
Give it up
Envy putrefies one’s persona. It bodies greed and resentment which were never part of the initial equation. It breaks marriages, disrupts households, destroys political systems, sets countries at war and seldom has anything profitable to offer. Internal focus, personal responsibility, and self-control enhance appropriate vision that corrects the faulty defenses of magnification and minimization that are the root cause of envy. Fire that drives action is mandated; not the one that burns you from within. Extinguish it before it devastates you…