ABSTRACT
The thesis explored that there are two types of envy: comparative and eroticized. Envy can only be productive when its object can be considered from a mindset of separation and humility rather than personal comparison. The feeling of comparative envy is rooted in a false sense of entitlement. It is an anger best described as the idea of someone else ‘living one’s life’. It is the belief that another’s success diminishes the potential of one’s own. Eroticized envy is rooted in feeling as though something in us is lacking or incomplete. It is characterized by an obsessive yearning for someone who embodies how you wish people felt about you. Two case studies are presented representing each type of envy. The antidote for both types of envy is enoughness. Enoughness can be accessed via an analysis of our ‘idols’ for what is good about their lot and what is bad. The outcome of this analysis is a conclusion in relation to ourselves made from a more balanced perspective.
