Envy has undergone a rebranding—let’s call it competition. It often begins with innocent thoughts like, “Why not me?” before escalating into a full-blown national epidemic. In today’s self-centered universe, self-image is a consumable, and social validation is the ultimate currency. Nowhere is this more evident than in the selfie phenomenon. I once waded through Times Square, dodging tourists precariously posing for selfies amid peak traffic. Some were so engrossed in their perfect angle that they risked becoming post-mortem images rather than Instagram posts. The “suicidal selfie syndrome” is alarmingly real. Between January 2008 and July 2021, there were 379 reported selfie-related deaths worldwide. Notably, India accounted for approximately half of these fatalities, underscoring a significant regional concern. In comparison, the International Shark Attack File recorded 57 unprovoked shark bites globally in 2022, a decrease from the five-year average of 70 incidents annually, says Wikipedia. This stark contrast suggests that in recent years, taking selfies has posed a greater risk to human life than encountering sharks.
In the corporate jungle, where one’s worth is measured by the size of their paycheck, envy thrives like mould in a damp basement. Here, the “economic man” isn’t valued for his humanity but for the digits on his pay stub. Financial disparities ignite social comparisons, leading to an endless cycle of promotions, demotions, and the peculiar tradition of toasting both with equal fervour. Unlike cows, who couldn’t care less about how much grass their neighbour is munching, humans obsess over salary discrepancies and indulge in relentless office gossip.
Even tech behemoths like Apple and Microsoft haven’t escaped this envious banter. Picture an Apple Store cheekily advising, “Don’t fart here; we don’t have Windows.” Microsoft, not to be outdone, retorts, “Feel free to release stale gas from yesterday’s half-eaten Apple. We’ve been providing open Windows for years.” Beyond the tech sector, the “Cola Wars” between Coca-Cola and Pepsi exemplify this competitive spirit. Originating in the late 19th century, this rivalry has persisted for over a century, with both companies engaging in aggressive marketing campaigns to outdo each other.
Similarly, the “Burger Wars” have seen fast-food giants McDonald’s and Burger King spar over market share. In the 1980s, Burger King launched campaigns highlighting the size of their burgers compared to McDonald’s, prompting a series of counter-ads and product innovations. These instances underscore how corporate rivalries, fuelled by competition and a desire for market supremacy, often lead to public displays of one-upmanship, shaping industry dynamics and consumer perceptions.
This deep-seated envy isn’t confined to boardrooms. Research indicates that people are willing to burn their own money just to see their wealthier peers brought down a notch. It seeps into our personal lives too, fuelling sibling rivalries and marital suspicions. While competition can lead to better products, it often brings out the worst in people. So, the next time a colleague congratulates you on your promotion through gritted teeth, remember—they might covet your chair as much as they resent you sitting in it. The only time envy works in your favour is when you outgrow it, evolving from envy to admiration, from flattery to genuine praise, and finally from imitation to emulation.