The "envy reflex"
Envy is a part of the human condition. It can frustrate, cloud judgement, and spur people to action.
Pthonos, the Greek god of envy and jealousy, transformed his being to the likeness of another god to spread false words and undermine his success. After being "stung with his own poison," the immortal was greatly motivated to change his own situation.
Historically and socially, envy has been regarded as a malicious motivator but research has shown that its power can be redirected towards more benign objectives.
In Jennifer Wallace's WSJ article, "Put That Resentment To Good Use," she states that, "Researchers are finding that, if approached the right way, there can actually be an upside to this deadly sin." In one study, researchers discovered that envy can actually make people more astute, improving attention and memory. "Those painful pangs of envy are there for an evolutionary reason," stated Dr. Sarah E. Hill, one of the researchers that published the study.
Now apply this powerful evolutionary trait to modern communications and you've got quite a powerful force at your disposal. Wallace cites another study which found that "the more people used Facebook, the less satisfied they were with their lives."
So the question here is, how can social media redirect these feelings toward a more ambivalent path?
"Your 'envy reflex,' they write, can point you in the right direction, focusing your time and attention on the areas that are important to you." Consider how much of a force social media has become in recent years: it has helped spread information (and misinformation) across the globe, spurring actions from revolution to ambivalent causes. Social media can be used to direct people towards a goal for the good of others, a more beneficial control of the "envy reflex."
Now all we need to do direct this powerful evolutionary trait contained within each of us to transform our malignant envies into benign ones. The potential is there, we just need to avoid being like Pthonos.