Jealousy

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Originally Posted by AuntShecky

What's the difference between jealousy and envy?

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Jealousy pertains to emotions

Envy can pertain to body parts...:blush2:

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Originally Posted by Paulclem

Jealousy pertains to emotions

Envy can pertain to body parts...:blush2:

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Please don't explain!

:p

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Originally Posted by Paulclem

Jealousy pertains to emotions

Envy can pertain to body parts...:blush2:

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I always understood envy to pertain to things, car, house, money etc. (In the eyes of an envious person, the belongings of others always seem to be the better ones, and always much more merited by him-/herself.) Am I mistaken there?

I am not sure, Lulim.

Can we not be someone's skills, for example?

*edit*

From http://dictionary.cambridge.org:

envy verb /ˈen.vi/ v [T]
to wish that you had something that another person has
I envy her ability to talk to people she's never met before.
[+ two objects] I don't envy you the job of cooking for all those people.

jealousy noun /ˈdʒel.ə.si/ n [C or U]
a feeling of unhappiness and anger because someone has something or someone that you want
He broke his brother's new bike in a fit of jealousy.
She was consumed by/eaten up with jealousy (= She was very jealous) when she heard that he had been given a promotion.
The team has performed very badly this season due to petty jealousies (= feelings of jealousy about unimportant things) among the players.

I think the difference between them is the "strenght" of the emotion, like the dictionary said.

One is stronger than the other, filled with more "negative" feelings.

I think jealousy becomes less of a problem as we become older. Perhaps we learn to deal with petty emotions and insecurities better as we experience more of life. Having been on the receiving end of jealousy in the past I now consider it to be one of the most debilitating and destructive human emotions. Take my advice and try to avoid it like the plague.

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Originally Posted by Lulim

I always understood envy to pertain to things, car, house, money etc. (In the eyes of an envious person, the belongings of others always seem to be the better ones, and always much more merited by him-/herself.) Am I mistaken there?

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Hi Lulim,

I was making a rude joke there - sorry to be confusing. Scher's probably got it sorted.

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Originally Posted by janesmith

I think jealousy becomes less of a problem as we become older. Perhaps we learn to deal with petty emotions and insecurities better as we experience more of life. Having been on the receiving end of jealousy in the past I now consider it to be one of the most debilitating and destructive human emotions. Take my advice and try to avoid it like the plague.

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I agree, and I sympathise. It's a horrible thing, and I reckon it's what motivates these vengeful partners. Men are terrible with it, particularly those of a macho outlook. Just dangerous.

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Originally Posted by Virgil

2 ~ I'm comfortable with myself.

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I think your answer provides a vital clue to the source of jealousy. I rated myself as 8, and was embarrassed to do so, because I think it reflects my insecurity.

A number of responders, however, have confused jealousy with envy: perhaps the two go hand in hand because I know that I am envious of writers my own age and with a similar background who have achieved celebrity. Often, I'm incapable of seeing what others see in them, as if I were the boy who noticed that the emperor is naked.

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Originally Posted by PrinceMyshkin

A number of responders, however, have confused jealousy with envy: perhaps the two go hand in hand because I know that I am envious of writers my own age and with a similar background who have achieved celebrity. Often, I'm incapable of seeing what others see in them, as if I were the boy who noticed that the emperor is naked.

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I don't know how to articulate a difference between jealousy and envy but I know there is a difference. I too am envious of many people's talents myself, but not in a dark, malicious way. I certainly wish those talented people well and continued success. There is something dark and malicious about jealousy, where there is no well wishes but a desire to see someone taken down or harmed.

I gave myself a four.

I get jealous of people with really dark blue eyes. Both of my parents had blue eyes, and a genetic mix-up (or infidelity, I'm not sure) gave me chestnut brown ones. =/

I also get a tad bit jealous of my ex-girlfriend. We spent a lot of special moments together, so it's a little heart-wrenching to see her recreate them with someone else. It isn't at all a big issue, just as the blue eyes aren't that big a deal, because I'm easily capable of snagging someone else. My emotional side just doesn't like that feeling.

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Originally Posted by Virgil

2 ~ I'm comfortable with myself.

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I was thinking on this issue and I am inclined to believe that it also depends how much our "securities" are tested as well.

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From Wikipedia:
Although popular culture often uses jealousy and envy as synonyms, modern philosophers and psychologists have argued for conceptual distinctions between jealousy and envy. For example, philosopher John Rawls distinguishes between jealousy and envy on the ground that jealousy involves the wish to keep what one has, and envy the wish to get what one does not have. Thus, a child is jealous of her parents' attention to a sibling, but envious of her friend's new bicycle. Psychologists Laura Guerrero and Peter Andersen have proposed the same distinction. They claim the jealous person "perceives that he or she possesses a valued relationship, but is in danger of losing it or at least of having it altered in an undesirable manner," whereas the envious person "does not possess a valued commodity, but wishes to possess it." Gerrod Parrot draws attention to the distinct thoughts and feelings that occur in jealousy and envy.

The experience of jealousy involves:

* Fear of loss
* Suspicion or anger about betrayal
* Low self-esteem and sadness over loss
* Uncertainty and loneliness
* Fear of losing an important person to an attractive other
* Distrust

The experience of envy involves:

* Feelings of inferiority
* Longing
* Resentment of circumstances
* Ill will towards envied person often accompanied by guilt about these feelings
* Motivation to improve
* Desire to possess the attractive rival's qualities
* Disapproval of feelings

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This quote from wikipedia is the best explanation of difference between jealousy and envy.

If you are interested you can read the entire article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jelousy

And it's amazing that jealousy word comes from Greek language.

This is confusing for me. I used to be really jelouse but then I just let that part of me go, but with the way my life is going I tend to be a bit jelouse of the people I know with the way their life is going. I tried all that "make it happen" bull crap but it doesn't always work that way. On the other hand, I think I hit the level that I just don't care anymore, so I think I'm gonna go with three.

I tend to equate jealousy with competitiveness, and in some areas of my life I must admit that I feel competitive, not many, but there are some if I’m completely honest.

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Originally Posted by LMK

I tend to equate jealousy with competitiveness, and in some areas of my life I must admit that I feel competitive, not many, but there are some if I’m completely honest.

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I tend to agree, but often people are jealous e.g. of others' success but not willing to emulate them. Rather than working harder to achieve the success they want for themselves, they'll make up stories about why that other person doesn't deserve what they've achieved. So I suppose it's a twisted or kind of competitiveness. Or it's the first step of competitiveness (realizing you too want something that someone else has got) without the second step (striving to reach your goals).