Philosophers interpret this concept as the desire to own property or the achievements of other people. The great philosopher Spinoza defined envy as receiving displeasure from someone else's happiness and pleasure from someone else's misfortune.
Envy lives in the soul of every person, but this feeling is different and is conventionally divided into "white" and "black" depending on the emotional feelings that arise in the soul at the sight of the well-being or success of friends or acquaintances. It is difficult to find a person who would have everything you need in life and be completely satisfied with his own life.
Strong personalities, overcoming obstacles, go to the intended goal, achieve their goal and they do not have to envy and feel sorry for themselves. The weak and lazy dream of having a good home, an interesting job and a happy family, but they do not make any effort for this. Comparing themselves to more successful comrades, they cultivate feelings of resentment and bitterness in their souls. This is how the first seeds of "black" envy germinate, which feeds on the emerging hostility and joy from the failures and grief of its acquaintances.
In Christianity, envy is considered one of the deadly sins, since it implies a person's doubts about the justice of the order established by God, his omnipotence and power.
There is a very fine line between "black" envy and hatred. Perceiving someone's success or good luck as an offensive injustice towards themselves and a threat to their well-being, a person enters a depressive state, which further disturbs his emotional perception and leads to the destruction of public or private life. A negative mental state can develop into neuroses and require serious medical attention. "Black" envy is a pathological feeling that eats away at the soul and poisons the life of the person himself.
"Black" envy torments a person, leads to serious psycho-emotional disorders and can even lead to the commission of a crime.
Envy can be called "white" when a person does not experience negative emotions and irritation at the sight of a secure and happy life of others. He is bitter and offended that he did not achieve such success, but anger does not arise in his soul. He does not even have a subconscious feeling to wish someone in this situation to lose what has been achieved. "White" envy has no negative energy in its essence, leaves no residue in the soul and does not lead to a deterioration in human relations. It does not need to be hidden, it can be expressed along with approval and the wish for even greater success and achievements.
Only by experiencing really good feelings towards people can you truly enjoy their growing career, happy personal life, or unexpectedly received profits. Often, “white” envy helps to reconsider your personal approach to life situations, to relate to work or everyday life in a new way. It can be an inspiring impetus for lifestyle changes, and it can help get rid of your own inferiority complex and frustration at your failures. "White" envy does not leave a black mark in the soul, it is joy for one's neighbor, sincere and light, the energy of which is directed only for good.
