ENVY – A GLOBAL PANDEMIC

 

              If envy were fever, the whole world would be sick!

 

One of the deadliest disease human beings are inflicted with is ENVY. It is a PAN HUMAN phenomenon - every human suffers from it to some extent. We cannot let it go despite the suffering ENVY brings because we are held in its deadly tentacles. It is said - It is not greed but envy which drives the world.

 

Why do people envy?

 

For most, right from childhood, the attitude of comparison is inculcated in minds – be it at school or home. The result is; finding others' possessions much better than yours. Envy thus results from COMPARISION SYNDROME. You fail to realise your worth. The envious people end up with low self-esteem. Still worse - most times, jealousy is towards materialistic possessions, viz. money, cars, professional success, home and much more. A pretty woman is envied by other women who are not so good-looking. A person afflicted with any disease is envious of others who "apparently" appear healthy. The list can go on and on. 

 

We need to understand that each person is unique and cannot be compared (should not be compared). We are what we are and can't be the same as others. We should not lose our identity and try to be someone else. Osho's comments highlight this point very well. "Existence creates only originals; it does not believe in carbon copies." Our jealousy would disappear by the time we realised this fact.

 

Albert Einstein's statement reiterates the same very well. He said: "If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its life believing it is stupid." 

 

It is vital to realise that we compare our insides with others outside. That itself is flawed. Remember, every person lives with a story we do not know about. Comparison kills the joy of life. Refrain from spoiling what you have by desiring what you have not.

 

Of late, the most significant source of envy is social media. Seeing happy pictures of others, watching others enjoying vacations at different places, observing more likes for our friends than us – all these cause envy and even lead to depression. Many psychiatrists have reported increasing cases of depression resulting from social media (which begins as envy). Everyone yearns for recognition even though it is fake.

 

Envy has a disastrous impact – lack of self-worth, low self-esteem, emotional pain and depression. Envy and Anger are most of the time paired. We are angry because we are unhappy with what we have compared to others. 

 

Let me quote Osho again – "Because of jealousy, you constantly suffer; you become mean to others. And because of jealousy, you start becoming phoney because you start pretending. You start pretending things you don't have; you start pretending things you can't have, which are not natural to you. You become more and more artificial. You are imitating others, competing with others".

 

It is rightly said; - Jealousy injures us with the dagger of self-doubt. Jealousy does to us what rust does to iron. That is why all religions have condemned envy.

 

 

Lord Shree Krishna in Bhagwat Gita says; 

यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च य: | 

हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो य: स च मे प्रिय: 

 

(One who does not envy but is a compassionate friend to all is very dear to Me.) 

 

Envy is considered one of the seven deadly sins in Roman Catholicism. Islam believes it is an impurity of the heart.  

 

J. Krishnamurthy commented -: "To live without comparison is to remove a tremendous burden." Think about this – our envy lasts much longer than the happiness of a person we envy ! 

 

Can envy be helpful? 

 

Yes !! It depends upon our attitude. Envy can be converted into motivation if we get inspired by the person envied. The message is – Don't be envious, be inspired. Don’t envy the harvest of the rich ,envy their planting.With this mindset, not only can we get rid of jealousy but excel and improve. 

 

Let me end with insightful words from Lord Buddha;

"Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind".

 

Isn't it true that love looks through a telescope, envy through a microscope?