Jealousy and envy: differences and similarities
Jealousy and envy are often used interchangeably as if they have the same meaning or are synonymous. Of course, this is wrong, since jealousy is markedly different from envy.
Jealousy basically involves at least three parts, and in fact most of the time no more. Envy at its basic level involves only two parties or two entities. Here are the characteristics that differentiate jealousy from envy.
* Jealousy refers to someone who perceives a threat from a third party to a relationship in which they are involved with another party. There is the jealous partner, the loved partner, and the threatening party.
* Envy is basically wanting something someone else has or not approving of someone having something.
* Jealousy is usually driven by fear and insecurity on the part of one of the members of a relationship.
* Envy is normally driven by greed, resentment, and greed.
* Jealousy tends to seek reassurance in safety and once this is addressed, the jealousy subsides or disappears.
* Envy can sometimes seek the fall or decline of another and is more focused on competing with a rival. In a sense, envy can produce a positive outcome for the person who is envious, as this can provide some motivation to achieve something that would probably not be achieved under different circumstances.
Obviously, there is a big difference between jealousy and envy, but there are also some similarities. One similarity is how each affects relationships. Both have the ability to damage relationships.
Jealousy, especially the intense type, has the potential to separate partners and create a lot of suspicion and mistrust. In fact, these are some of these characteristics that form the basis of intense jealousy.
Envy can make relationships very strained and dysfunctional to the point where personal performance suffers. For example, in the workplace, where there can be a lot of envy of co-workers for things like promotions, promotions, and positions, this can affect employee morale and job performance.
Coping with envy and jealousy
There are differences and similarities between facing envy and facing jealousy. Both require a great deal of reflection on the origin of the problem or the emotions. However, while the person who is envious may not seek answers beyond himself, the jealous person may have to associate with another party, that is, the loved one, to get to the bottom of what is causing the jealousy.
In either case, both require introspection on the part of the person harboring the feelings of jealousy or envy.