Life News
Envy as a guide and romance with a game character: two takes on modern feelings
Two pieces this week asked readers to rethink what counts as a healthy or harmful feeling in a relationship. BBC News looked at Grand Theft Auto VI, which lets players build and nurture a romantic relationship with a character. Some people the BBC heard from said dates with a fictional character are a step too far, and the headline asks directly whether you can cheat on someone with a video game.
The Guardian took on envy, a feeling usually treated as a vice. It spoke to social scientist and life coach Dr Stacy Kim, author of the new book Envy: Why Wanting What They Have is the Key to Getting What You Want, who explains how to understand the feeling, find the deeper desire behind it and use it to reach goals.
“I think that when we don't examine our envy, that's when it leads us astray.” — Dr Stacy Kim, via The Guardian
How each outlet framed it
- BBC News — a boundary question: where couples draw the line when technology offers simulated romance.
- The Guardian — self-help: treating envy as information about what you want, rather than something to bury.
The practical thread is the same: both stories suggest talking openly about feelings, whether the trigger is a friend's success or a partner's game.
What we don't know yet: The BBC piece gathers views rather than survey data, so how many couples actually see in-game dating as a problem is not measured.