Are you green with envy these days? A warning is in order here: All that appears to be envy may or may not be that at all, so we need to be ever-so careful about mislabelling it.
You see, there's envy and then there is something that looks like envy. Someone who is ambitious or highly motivated is not necessarily envious. So instead of being a vice, it can be a virtue.
I admit there are times we do not why others do what they do. We need to be very careful that we're not too harsh in our judgement of others (something I struggle with) in what appears to us to be an envious motivation.
And while I'm in an instructive mood, another point of confusion is the difference between the words "envy" and "jealousy." It's really quite simple: envy is the attitude you have when you want what others have, whereas jealousy is keeping what you already have from the greedy paws of others.
The complex world of love bears this out: Wanting another guy's girlfriend (ie., she's not yours) is an example of envy; protecting our girlfriend from the eyes and hands of other guys is jealousy.
Even in theological concepts, God is described as jealous but never envious: He protects what is His (that's jealousy), but never craves for something others have (that's envy) --because He already has everything. It's a little more complicated than that, but I trust you get my drift.
So back to the premise of this series, namely, what would a society that is not built on the sinking sand of envy look like? Well, for starters, it would look very differently than the mess we're in now.
Another caveat is in order here: I can admire someone else's "things" without being envious. I can appreciate that guy's truck, that family's house, that girl's graduate degree, without having a craving for the same. It usually boils down to my own state of contentment and what I am satisfied with.
Remember my denunciation of flyers, ads, commercials, and promotional material? Our "pot of envy" wouldn't be stirred up if what was advertised was presented with a little more integrity. And as a result, we wouldn't have this mess of tossed goods for want of newer, different ones.
If there was no envy, our dumps (sorry: Waste Transfer Stations) wouldn't be so full, our houses wouldn't be so cluttered (with discarded clothes, toys, and utensils), relationships wouldn't be so shattered, and the general populace wouldn't be so dissatisfied.
That's a broad indictment, I agree. Take my wardrobe, as an example. I like what I have, and I don't really need to add more pants, shirts, hats, shoes, and ties. (Okay, maybe ties: I have forty-five that I rarely wear anymore, but every now and then I see another one that I "need." No, I don't need more ties, I just want them.
It's always nice to change and de-clutter, I get that. If that's the motivation, then a wardrobe cleanse is good. And that would not be envy; it would be an efficient upgrade.
But it's because we must keep up with the latest style, or must always look like we shopped in downtown Calgary, that's probably not good.
So my caution is to watch out for an envious spirit. It will save space, time, energy, and money.
And not just for you, but for every member of society. And that becomes yet one more reason why the application of each of the Ten Commandments on a practical level would be a good thing.
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