Equal men who desire the same scarce thing become enemies

Evidence

From this equality of ability, ariseth equality of hope in the attaining of our Ends. And therefore if any two men desire the same thing, which neverthelesse they cannot both enjoy, they become enemies; and in the way to their End, (which is principally their owne conservation, and sometimes their delectation only,) endeavor to destroy, or subdue one another” (ch. 13, 87; emphasis added). — Gil Anidjar, The Jew, the Arab, 366 (#expands, via linked claim)

Another, more obvious kind of repulsion among the subjects of a common ruler is created by means of jealousy. It constitutes the negative counterpart of the phenomenon mentioned before, namely, that common hatred is all the more powerful a bond if the object of the common hatred is at the same time the common ruler. We now add that a love shared by a number of elements makes them, by means of jealousy, all the more decisively into mutual enemies if the common loved one is also the common ruler. A student of Turkish conditions reports that the children of different mothers in a harem are always hostile to one another. The reason for this is the jealousy with which their mothers observe the father’s manifestations of love for his children who are not their own. Jealousy takes on a particular nuance as soon as it refers to the power which is superordinate to both parties. Under this condition, the woman winning the love of the disputed person triumphs over the rival in a special sense, and has a special success of her power. The subtlety of the fascination consists in the fact that she becomes master over the rival inasmuch as she becomes master over the rival’s master. — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 337 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Domination consigns all who differ merely by virtue of difference to the enemy camp; Scarcity from equal ability and shared desire makes any two men enemies. — Gil Anidjar, The Jew, the Arab: A History of the…, 366; The state of war arises only when two men desire the same thing (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Scarcity from equal ability and shared desire makes any two men enemies. #expands (0.95) — Gil Anidjar, The Jew, the Arab, 366
• The state of war arises only when two men desire the same thing #expands (0.92)
• Sharing a beloved superordinate turns co-subjects into intensified mutual enemies via jealousy #complicates (0.74) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 337