Jealousy is a double-edged sword that hurts the shooter and the target. Whether you know it or not, we all have our own insecurities and self-doubts. We keep our jealousies locked away, hiding them from others. Greed is a characteristic that all humans possess. It is completely normal to want the things that others have, however, it’s not normal when a person begins to obsess over their wants and begin to hurt others. Subconsciously, you’ll start to push people away because the admiration you hold turns into envy. Envious people like to pick apart others and their flaws to make themselves feel “enough.” This can also lead to “resentment and defensiveness. It also destroys the trust in a relationship and leads to more arguments, especially if the jealous person makes demands and constantly questions the other person” (How to Deal with Jealousy). While it may seem like you are only hurting one person, you are slowly ruining yourself with guilt, destructive habits, and greed.

Envy, when left unattended, can create controlling behaviors that can damage relationships and your personal well-being. In the well-known play, Othello by William Shakespeare, Iago’s behavior is the result of jealousy and envy. Upon finding out that Cassio had received a lieutenant-ship over him, he began to obsess over it, and he went to many different lengths to destroy the relationship Cassion had with Othello. He made up lies about Othello to try and ruin his image. In a monologue, he states, “I hate the Moor, And it is thought abroad that ’twixt my sheets ’Has done my office. I know not if ’t be true” (Othello). Iago continued to lie to himself because he couldn’t find any other way to justify his hatred and anger towards Othello. Not only was he destroying his relationship with his wife by spreading a lie, but he also began to destroy himself. He filled himself with rage and was unable to contain it. When you envy someone so much, it begins to ruin yourself and those around you. Jealousy will lead you to no choice but to justify your actions by taking advantage of other people’s weaknesses and insecurities.

Jealousy can blind a person to make irrational decisions: “When people are incompetent in the strategies they adopt to achieve success and satisfaction, they suffer a dual burden: Not only do they reach erroneous conclusions and make unfortunate choices, but their incompetence robs them of the ability to realize it” (Dunning Kruger NYT article). When you’re jealous of someone, you don’t realize the irrational ways you begin to act. The line between right and wrong begins to blur. Nothing can help you determine what choices you make, because you are too focused on ruining someone else. Reaching success may seem great, but if you cheat your way into achieving it, the end result may not seem as significant as you hoped for. Jealousy is an emotion that everyone has experienced. Taking advantage of other people through jealousy and envy can lead to undeniable consequences. Jealousy can take your relationships away from you, as well as some characteristics you used to have and replace them with toxic ones instead.