Is it right to take revenge?

[letric]

It is summed up by Nietzsche (German philosopher 1844-1900) who said.

The best revenge is to live well.
You transfer the curse of envy on to the enemy, and make your own life as
brilliant as you can. The general wisdom is that the more mature reaction
lies in letting things go: you've lost a battle, but by not fighting back you win
the moral war.

[guyguy]

This is a rhetorical question, right?

[letric]

It does appear to be answered...however, to let your attacker off the hook
is to warp the frame of justice. While revenge evens things up, letting things
drop never brings closure. That is because it fails to respect the basic law:
you hurt me, so I hurt you back, now we are quits. Why?
The sweetness comes from dealing a blow to an enemy when they thought
they'd got away with it. But one must choose the right moment.
Sweet as it is, revenge left too long sours.

[SilverEagle]

Everything happens for a reason.

[mammadon]

The feelings that cause revenge are understandable.

But revenge hurts the wronged more so than the wrongdoer, since the wrongdoer may not care if s/he has done any wrongdoing.

I find revenge is something not generally advisable, but something humans do nonetheless. kind of like being judgmental, or lying.

[letric]

For all it's serenity, however,
electing not to take revenge
comes with problems. First, if
dropping the the issue is the
mature option, it implies that
exacting vengeance
employs the baser instinct
which suggests that taking
revenge is more authentic.

[letric]

For all it's serenity, however,
electing not to taker revenge
comes with problems. First, if
dropping the the issue is the
mature option, it implies that
exacting vengeance
employs the baser instinct,

[letric]

For all it's serenity, however,
electing not to taker revenge
comes with problems. First, if
dropping the the issue is the
mature option, it implies that
exacting vengeance
employs the baser instinct,

Second, to let your attacker off
the hook is to challenge the frame
of justice.

[letric]

That branch of the art of lying which consists in
very nearly deceiving your friends without quite
deceiving your enemies.
(Francis Cornford (1871-1943)


The feelings that cause revenge are understandable.

But revenge hurts the wronged more so than the wrongdoer, since the wrongdoer may not care if s/he has done any wrongdoing.

I find revenge is something not generally advisable, but something humans do nonetheless. kind of like being judgmental, or lying.

[letric]

By, three things is the world sustained: by truth
by judgement, and by peace. (The Talmud)


For all it's serenity, however,
electing not to take revenge
comes with problems. First, if
dropping the the issue is the
mature option, it implies that
exacting vengeance
employs the baser instinct
which suggests that taking
revenge is more authentic.

[letric]

This animal is very bad; when attacked it
defends itself.

'L Me'nagerie' (1868)'

[letric]

A man that studies revenge keeps his
own wounds green.

Essays (1625)'Of Revenge'

[letric]

Punishment is not for revenge, but to lessen
crime and to reform the criminal.



Memoir of the Life of Elizabeth Fry (1848)

[letric]

What though, the field be lost?
All is not lost; the unconquerable will,
And study of revenge, immortal hate,
And courage never to submit or yield.

Paradis Lost (1667) bk. 1. l. 105

[Amelia]

I dont know about whether its right or wrong.
I think its one of those grey areas.
Revenge seem to be part of our instinctual need for justice and fairness.

[letric]

The infernal serpent; he it was, whose guile
stirred up with envy and revenge, deceived
The mother of mankind,.

Paradise Lost (1667)

[letric]

A desire to inflict revenge on others through their
guilt and remorse over the death is often evident.
Indeed, a multiplicity of motives which, from a
narrow logical point of view, may mutually
incompatible may be displayed. The supremely
'personal' action of suicide may, at the same
time, be intensely 'interpersonal' or social .
(Some would aver that ultimzately there is
no difference between the two)

[letric]

Nothing inspires forgiveness
quite like revenge.



Scott Adams

[letric]

The law of retaliation, according to which deserved
*punishment is neither more nor less than the harm done
in a crime, and ideally mirrors the crime It appears in
the Code of Hammurabi (c. 1700 BC) but
is best known in the biblical statement

life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth ... wound for wound (Exodus 21:22-5)

[letric]

Semantic paradox known in antiquity focus of much work. Jack says

I am speaking falsely
referring to the words he is then uttering, If Jack
speaks truly when he says he is speaking falsely, he is
speaking falsely. If he is speaking falsely when this is what
he says is going on, he is speaking truly. So what he says is
true if, and only if, it is false; which seems absurd. One
response claims thast Jack says nothing true and nothing
false. But a variant makes trouible: Jill says

I am now not speaking truly
If Jill is not speaking truly when this is what she says she
is up to, she is speaking truly. If she is speaking truly, then
she must be doing what she says, that is, not speaking truly.
So, it seems, what she says is true if, and only if, it is not true.
R.M.S.



That branch of the art of lying which consists in
very nearly deceiving your friends without quite
deceiving your enemies.
(Francis Cornford (1871-1943)

[letric]

And if any mischief follow; then thou shalt give
life for life,
Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot
for foot,
Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe
for stripe.

Bible: Exodus (21: 23-25)

[Ducky]

I dont know about whether its right or wrong.
I think its one of those grey areas.
Revenge seem to be part of our instinctual need for justice and fairness.

I agree with that. Its about satisfaction too though.

Ever had a situation where something bad happened and you were upset and mad and wanted the other person/people to feel as much hurt as you were feeling and in the long run you didn't have to take revenge, things just sorta worked out in a way that they found themselves in horrible positions too?

[letric]

Don't get mad, get even.


Joseph Kennedy (1888-1969)

[letric]

Whenever someone hurts or angers you, In your mind conjure up the other person.
What was it about their actions that caused you distress? Try to understand why
they behaved the way they did. Can you think of times in your own life when you
have done something similar? Recall how you felt at that time and why you
behaved in that way. From this perspective you may begin to see the other
person not as fundamentally flawed, but as a fellow human being caught in a bad
moment. As you soften to them, notice if your perception of the situation alters,
becoming less black and white. With the person no longer cast in the role of villain,
you may be able to appreciate more clearly your own part in the drama.

[letric]

Everything happens for a reason.


You have undertaken to cheat me, I won't sue
you, for the law is too slow, I'll ruin you.

Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794-1877) Letter
to former business associate. (1853)

[letric]

With a foreword by Nelson Mandela who says that Mac


taught the underground that is must respect
rather than simply hate the enemy ... and remember
that the enemy was a clever fellow, not some stupid Boer.
... Hatred would kill you. Not the enemy.

A South African of Indian descent, Mac Maharaj played a
pivotal role in the liberation movement for nearly 40 years,
suffering brutal torture and 12 years imprisonment on Robens
island with Nelson Mandela. It was Maharaj who smuggled
out the manuscript of Mandela's autobiography ande later
re-entered South Africa to establish a political and military
underground on a mission so secdret that only those at the
highest level were even aware of its existence.

[letric]

The past is a rich resource on which we can
draw in order to make decisions for the future,
but it does not dictate our choices. We should
look back at the past and select what is good,
and leave behind what is bad.
The Struggle of My Life (1990)
Nelson Mandela

[letric]

The past is a rich resource on which we can
draw in order to make decisions for the future,
but it does not dictate our choices. We should
look back at the past and select what is good,
and leave behind what is bad.
The Struggle of My Life (1990)
Nelson Mandela

A brave man's wounds are seldom on his back.

[letric]

The Hebrew Bible describes a 'vengeful God' and prescribes 'an eyes for eye' while the New Testament
encourages forgiveness and reserves vengeance for a loving God. Modern social philosophy generally
rejects the very idea of revenge as irrational and always unjustified. But among those philosophers who
still defend the idea of *retribution (as opposed to deterrence and rehabilitation), the line between
revenge and retribution is not obvious. In fact, revenge is sometimes justified and often deliberative,
it is a much debated question to what extent revenge should be part of the purpose of punishment in
criminal law. Nor should revenge be viewed as simply a raw, unreasonable emotion. Revenge is a dish
says one ancient proverb, which is ' best served cold.

[letric]

The Hebrew Bible describes a 'vengeful God' and prescribes 'an eyes for eye' while the New Testament
encourages forgiveness and reserves vengeance for a loving God. Modern social philosophy generally
rejects the very idea of revenge as irrational and always unjustified. But among those philosophers who
still defend the idea of *retribution (as opposed to deterrence and rehabilitation), the line between
revenge and retribution is not obvious. In fact, revenge is sometimes justified and often deliberative,
it is a much debated question to what extent revenge should be part of the purpose of punishment in
criminal law. Nor should revenge be viewed as simply a raw, unreasonable emotion. Revenge is a dish
says one ancient proverb, which is ' best served cold.

Words ...can leave scars for a lifetime, and many people will never forget
some of the things said to them, both good things such as encouragement
and bad thing things such as criticism and rebuke.

[indie]

Why take revenge if you are a true god fairing person. Instead wish your enemies the best...Why take yourself to such a level? He that studieth revenge keepeth his own wounds green, which otherwise would heal and do well. John Milton

[straphanger]

an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind

[letric]

an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind

Do not get mad, get even.

[Lover]

Revenge? Do not sully your character by stooping to the person's level, leave it, what goes around comes around. Believe me it is true true saying!

[lexbarker]

They say the best revenge is SUCCESS

[letric]

He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass.

[letric]

Ask the spurned, rejected woman?

[letric]

Ask the spurned, rejected woman?

Her reply? Definitely ...

[letric]

Most of us fiend it difficult to be the victim of lies, deceit or infidelity in a relationship.
But we don't all want to take revenge in the same way. How would you respond if you'd
been betrayed?