Green eyed monster, Jealousy and Envy
Did you ever wonder why jealousy is called “A green eyed monster” or do you know? The actual labeling is supposed to be from Shakespeare and Othello where the husband strangles his beautiful faithful, loving wife to death because he was deceived by a lying schemer. This gives some idea of the ugly power of jealousy and the destruction it can cause. The monster is also hiding in all of us and some of us have it chained pretty well and some of us don’t. We all need to chain the monster because once the jealousy monster is loose all hell breaks loose and the destruction goes in any and all directions. The green-eyed monster may refer to a cat who stalks, plays, pounces and even toys with his victim. JEALOUSY is a sick and depraved monster and I would guess that every person has been nipped or savagely attacked, mauled or maimed by the monster of JEALOUSY. I know I have been, but other times, the damage was done and then I was left stunned and hurt and trying to figure it all out what happened and why. Why does it happen?
The montster of jealousy is a disguise artist and can be invisible so I would like to warn others and learn more about it. We all know, “CAINE slew ABEL” who were brothers in the BIBLE. As a child, I kept wondering what that was all about and why was it there. JEALOUSY between brothers and sisters have been destroying families since the beginning of time. I can understand the rivalry for a mate, but I struggle to accept that family members could be that JEALOUS and cause the hatefulness that they do. If we realize how stupid JEALOUSY is maybe we would try get get some control over it. Honestly, I don’t act out of jealousy and rarely feel a pang or snarl of the monster, but I was easy prey for the Monster. I realized that I must have had something worthy of envy to rouse the GREEN-eyed monster and I decided to look at myself and be very grateful for what attributes that were inspiring envy and be very grateful for them. I also know that it may be a good idea not to excited jealousy, or is that possible?
Anything can rouse the JEALOUSY monster, so not rousing the monster in others is virtually impossible. You may think they are better off than you in every way and their monster is unleashed anyway. People need to appreciate themselves, and the monster of JEALOUSY may be tamed and the damage may be understood and abated if not cured. I have been a victim of jealousy in it’s most virulent forms in my life. I think I was innocent, but it may be like rape and robbery; I did have a desirable mate, or I was wearing jewelry, or I sounded too wise, or was too well-regarded, or some other something capable of arousing the wild beast of JEALOUSY. If you are not the jealous type you may become a victim of others who find you a rather defenseless Target because of their innocence or ignorance.
I hope I have convinced you to help us all chain the MONSTER within and to be vigilant for the MONSTER stalking and prowling about loose and on a long chain or none at all. Also, be aware that the jealousy monster is always there somewhere close. This may sound too extreme, but aren’t you always somewhat aware of thieves or robbers, well the jealousy monster has probably done more damage and stolen more from you than other types of thieves. What has been stolen from you because of JEALOUSY. What suffering has been caused by jealousy?
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Jealousy is a very destructive emotion , as you point out it can mean harm and hurt all the way up to death for those it is directed against. It is corrosive to the focus of the jealousy but also to the one who is jealous, it eats away at the soul , ever growing it ends up as paranoia. It is worse if this jealousy is within a family frame work because even if a family or family member is never seen again…..there is still that attachment to the idea of family, that all should be harmonious. Humans being Human…things don’t all work out that way. I think that the culture of family, leads the members to believe they should all be on a par roughly speaking. Live the same kind of life style, own much the same, have the same aspirations. Anyone that pushes above will be suspect and looked at critically. This is most evident after a death in the family…….it seems the notion is, it is all up for grabs. Half remembered conversations are brought up as proof that something had been promised. I have told my own sons …never expect anything, you may be pleasantly surprised but you will not be disappointed. I would say if you have someone who is jealous about you, treat them as being dangerously infective. Avoid if possible, wear protective amour and let someone else do the talking because they will never hear you correctly mainly because the truth is not what they want. The truth will not support what they want.
Thinking about it , jealousy is another facet of trying to assert control over some one else. If all else fails by trying to make the victim miserable. It is also About entitlement, in some cases.
I agree, nothing nice about any of it.except maybe for a novelist.
Rockflower, I thank you for your comprehensive answer and I benefit from hearing your comments and I am sure others do also. You have two sons, and I knew a mother of two sons and when she died when they were in their 50’s, the mother divided everything totally equally and the one son had not expected to get much or anything was sobbing for days. The parents had always made a practice of giving equally and it never ended. I don’t know how much jealousy was involved but I am sure jealousy was a part of it. You are right about deaths bringing out the mean emotions and many families completely break up after a death and that is when they need each other most.
I did not mention the CORROSIVE effect to the JEALOUS person’s SOUL because I have never been jealous type of person though I totally agree with you that it happens. Also, I think these jealous people also suffer the loss of people that they need and love. When I said the destruction goes in all directions, maybe the jealous person reaps more of the destruction than they or others realize.
Maybe, the Jealous person is too corroded to realize what they lose because they don’t seem to change.
I think you are so right about the jealous person loosing the very people they need most and I did not put it in my reply. I like a quote from Oscar Wilde’s poem that he wrote while a prisoner in Reading gaol.He was imprisoned because he was a homosexual. I probably interpret this not quite in the way he intended but it spoke to me. He wrote “All men kill the thing they love”. I think of this contemplating the great tourist places of the world. We all want to see and experience them, we all go and then the press of people spoils the atmosphere of the place and in some cases is destroying the very fabric of that which we go to see. Now I am beginning to see it is true else where…..people fall in love then sometimes destroy what they loved about each other. The jealous, envious person so covets what others are or have that they destroy all good about them and never get what they truly desire. I also think people are more envious these days don’t you? Media , the celebrity culture, advertising these make people feel they are missing out. Then the modern credo that we all have endless rights but no responsibilities makes people feel constantly cheated. I’m not a “star” because no one has given me a chance……it could not possibly be that I have no talent or did not work hard etc. It is refreshing when you hear someone say….I’m thankful for what I have and happy with my life. I’m not saying that people should not have ambition and all that…… My Roseinbloom, perhaps it is good that you and I don’t live close to each other….we’d never stop talking LOL!!!!!
Rockflower. I appreciate your comment about our being together and talking too much. I hardly think that good talking is one of the best things that we could do. The ancient Greeks learned from just talking to each other and so did our Early Americans and so Did the other learned men several hundred years ago. Why is communication so little valued today?
Yes, I agree that people seem to be more envious in the USA for sure. When survival depends on cooperation, then envy is not an option and there are other reasons, some that you mentioned.
I wonder if jealousy or envy played a part in the barbaric and Savage treatment of Oscar Wilde and The Great Computer genius who may have saved the Brits from Hitler. A lot of viciousness related to minorities is secret feeling of inadequacy themselves.
You are right but I don’t think the USA has the lead in envy, I think this is pretty much everywhere in the western world. However you guys usually do it first and big LOL! I was thinking of your ‘Green eyed monster” this morning . I was reading the Prince Harry’s bride to be , has not invited her sister or her brother to her wedding. I’ve also read some pretty nasty things that both her siblings have said about her in recent months. Well they are reported as having said them I should say. If true that they have said such things, why on earth would they expect her to welcome them to her wedding? She would just be giving them another platform for their bile to spill out. Not only the funerals but weddings also bring out the nastiness.
I think real talk is good, so many people only indulge in small talk and avoid bigger things to talk about. I think we would dive into the big issues Rose LOL!
Love it , lol
Thank you, Lani.
Rockflower, I read that envy is roused by comparison, also you can look into your envy and discover what you admire. In the US we have spoke of “keeping up with the Joneses” so envy abounds here and you have people with a lot of new found money so there is a push to compete. As for Prince Harry’s wedding and the bad behavior of her siblings, it may be a classic case of envy, but also greed might be involved. They are probably paid for these interviews.
It is very common for a sibling that has done much better than her siblings to have a lot of negativity by family members. Envy is really very sad.