Everything we do, want, strive for is pretty much based on and driven by emotions. In an ideal society, love would be our primary emotion; but in a more hostile society, we are more driven by more negative emotions: fear, hate, and jealousy.
Now jealousy is a fascinating emotion. Nations have fallen, rulers have been brought to their knees and lives have been wiped out because of the big green-eyed monster. On a much smaller scale jealousy has taken hold as well, on somebody's job, his wife, her husband, her paycheck, his car, their vacation, his wristwatch, her dress, his charisma, her body, their lives...
Jealousy is an emotion based on scarcity; scarcity of time, of money, resources, people and/or energy. Jealousy is also driven by a perceived injustice, which mostly if not always relates to oneself.
When I was young I was told not to be jealous of others. That in my opinion is a mistake. As far as I can see the greatest achievements in our days (as well as the darkest) happened because we were jealous at some point and decided to something about it. That's just the thing. Jealousy can be used for good things.
Bad things are done because jealousy is used destructively, as an excuse to be violent, giving in to something primal. Green eyes tend to make you blind for any other way out than 'HULK SMASH! HULK CRUSH!'
So, I'll make this promise. I will be jealous like a mofo for anyone who does better than I do. But I will find a way out that is constructive, and I will make you jealous of me!
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