Jealousy as a Social Tool

Paper Summary:

Jealousy as an adverse emotion is a term which commonly refers to inner psychological and outer sociological conflict pertaining to an object that one covets or desires. This paper explains that jealously usually refers to a dynamic that occurs in relationships between people but it can also be understood in a broader sense as the jealousy or envy of the status or possessions of others. This paper looks at how an analysis of jealousy can be used to understand social norms such as relationships, status, class, advertising and envy.
Outline:
Introduction
Jealousy and Relationships
Jealousy, Status and Class
Advertising, Envy and Jealousy
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Jealousy and envy of others is often used in the advertising and marketing world to promote product sales. The image and stereotypes of ideal and desired objects and people are purposely manipulated to initiate a feeling of both envy and jealousy to motivate the viewer or audience to purchase the product. The well-known sociologist John Berger describes advertising in terms of envy. He states that advertising works by"... proposing to each of us that we transform ourselves, or our lives, by buying something more.... [Advertising] persuades us of such a transformation by showing us people who have apparently been transformed and are, as a result, enviable. The state of being envied is what constitutes glamour."

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