Man’s life can be summed up as the never ending desire to fulfill certain basic needs. As I am sure that the majority of the readers are familiar with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, I will not waste my time in recalling all of the various nuances involved when discussing these motivating factors. It shall suffice to say that man is driven by want, in his most elemental form he is compelled to quench his desires by the means at his disposal, weather it be industriousness or villainy. The yearning to calm this insatiable beast that forever hounds mankind lends itself to frustration, in part to its never ending pull on the soul of mankind. The end result of this frustration manifests itself in that emotion all too common to man, envy. Much has been written about envy and the power it possesses over man; its ability to blind one out of lust or its detrimental effect on everyday social relationships. Although envy is counted amongst Christianity’s seven deadly sins and universally condemned by religious institutions of all denominations for its adverse affect on the human spirit, the positive effects of envy on man are often ignored despite its beneficial service to those in possession of a superior intellect. The purpose of this discussion is to not only touch upon the negative affects of envy on man, and they are legion, but the power it possesses to motivate man to strive towards a better existence as well as the root mechanisms inherent in the human psyche which manifest said emotion.The negative effect produced by the presence of envy is most pronounced in the man of a lesser intellectual character and the poor who, despite their potential, often fall prey to its devices. As it is, most men fall under these categories, lacking not only the intellectual but the moral understanding of the most effective and satisfying manner in which to gratify their primal needs. It is in these poor wretches that envy takes on its most insidious character, driving men to the depths of moral depredation. In this sort of man instead of utilizing his own means to procure the fulfillment needed to satisfy the urges of the will, he often resorts to nefarious means to thwart his frustrations. As a substitute for industry he turns to the numerous deprivations open to him; gambling, intoxicants, theft, violence, and the sensual pleasures are all that he feels are available to quench the thirst of his will.
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