G-Spot of the Global Economy

People talk about the danger of the spread of contagious diseases. What about the spread of contagious desires?

When I feel bad because you have something I don’t have, that’s called envy. Envy keeps the juices of modern commerce flowing.

When my co-worker has just bought a condo, while I’m still living in a small rented apartment, I might feel envy. It’s a kind of hatred or bitterness that arises when I think, “I’m the one who should have a beautiful condo. I’ve always been a better worker than she is. She doesn’t deserve that condo.” Envy is a form of anger connected with our possessions.

The word envy seems to be dying out of the English language. It is being replaced by the word jealousy, but envy and jealousy do not have the same meaning. Jealousy is when I see my husband joking around with another woman and I think, “He likes her better than he likes me.” I suspect I have lost his love and our relationship. Jealousy has to do with our affections.

Envy makes barriers between people, but I have noticed that all forms of anger sometimes make us feel protected. For example, I feel protected when I march down the city streets in a very angry state of mind. Beggars don’t dare ask me for money. People step out of my way.

But we have an expression: “Live by the sword; die by the sword.” This means that angry, bitter people are always asking for trouble.

Personally, I know that an envious man or woman cannot possibly be successful or happy. I know that any kind of anger, envy, or greed binds me to my enemy, or to the job I dislike, with chains of steel. In addition, many people hang on to unwanted situations in life because they are unconsciously waiting for their revenge. Or they think that somehow they are going to be compensated for their misery.

If we value our freedom, which most of us say we do, we’ll need to learn how to rid ourselves of envy. If we weren’t full of envy  and greed (which is a desire for more), we could be free.

But we think, What could be wrong with wanting what everybody else has or wants? What could be wrong with criticizing everybody and going around with a lot of hate in our minds? Doesn’t everybody do that?

Some Questions for Discussion

(1) Is there anything wrong with wanting what other people have?

(2) Have you ever felt envy most strongly? What were the circumstances? What happened then?

(3) What do you think is the best way of ridding yourself of envy?

Text and Photograph Copyright © 2009 Barbara A. English All rights reserved.