Is revenge OK?

[softheart]

I will probably burn in the eternal fires but, I don't care. Sometimes it feels so good. (giggling)

[Dominique]

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind ~ Ghandi

[JustJo]

I don't believe in a God....or eternal punishment....or divine rewards....or karma.....or revenge.

It can be tempting, but I believe the saying that the best revenge is massive success.

[Jett]

I believe revenge hurts the person seeking it much more than anyone it is directed at. Mainly because to plot and need revenge you have to mentally hang onto the negative or toxic situation (and feelings surrounding) to sustain any motivation to carry it out. Similar to the saying I think "Holding a grudge is like stinging yourself to death over and over with the same bee"

As far as cruelty goes I think it's a sickness humans carry all their own burden with, I don't think animals are cruel since cruelty takes motivation and need to specifically BE cruel and derive pleasure from that. I don't think say, a lion's motivation in killing a zebra is to satisfy their need to cause it pain and suffering but to satisfy it and it's Pride's hunger. Hmmm, though there is an animal that does seem to exhibit cruelty, downright brutality at times to members of their own group... interesting it's the animal that's DNA sequencing reveals they share 96% of human genes, the chimpanzee. Hard to say it's cruelty though, as we don't know what they are thinking... like we can with people.

Forgiveness... I do believe in forgiveness in most situations, but right, I may not forget... I forgive because, mostly, this is a f*cked up world... it and it f*cks ppl up, I have made mistakes too...

[BullDog]

Living well is the best revenge.

I've actually flat out said that to a few people in my life. When people try to mess with me it actually does spur me on to do even better for myself. Ultimately my happiness and well being is based on the positive but sometimes the negative does give me an extra push.

When I look later to see where I am and how I feel and then see them in their same patterns of behavior... I smile. Then I go back on living and I'm happy.

[Scuba]

Contemplating revenge on someone, although tempting sometimes, only keeps me angry and renting space in my head to someone who really doesn't deserve it. The end...

Scoobs

PS I would rather be renting space to someone I am contemplating "other" things with...it just sounds so much more fun

[Jett]

Originally Posted by Glenn

Folks, If anyone ever tried to harm you, your babies, or your loved ones in the past, and you think justice was'nt served, just buy a side by side twelve gauge and give them both barrels if they come around again to try to harm you and your loved ones. Especially if they're bigger then you and you have a clean record.

Hey yeah, I didn't say I wouldn't blow some idiots ass right back out my door, I happen to have a double barrel and handgun. I was talking revenge not protection... I'm like a friggen Silverback on crack when me or mines safety is in jeopardy...

[Vlasta]

I fortunately didn't found myself in a tragic situation such as loosing my child or my love one has been murdered or something similar to . So , I can't really say how I would feel in that particular situation .

I was raped by my son's biological father when my son was three weeks old and I had 26 stitches . Well back then and the country I was living at, even if I went to police they would looked me as I was crazy and throw me out from police station .

Yet , revenge it's never ok in my book . I just let go and don't give any negative energy to whatever situation . I let go and not being malicious whatsoever . Sit back and trust me as many said in this thread what goes around comes around .

I see already on some they done wrong to me are getting back in not a good way and I am not talking just about my partners . Matter of fact , one of my partner that done very wrongs to me , lost his sister to a cancer . I couldn't even bring myself to feel any satisfaction . I felt really bad for hym and his family .

I honestly think it's about your personality , but as I said revenge it's never ok in my book . I let it go , life will takes care of it .

[Passionaria]

I've heard that living well, is the best revenge. Like Bulldog, I believe it is.

[SuddenlyWestFemme]

Originally Posted by softheart

I will probably burn in the eternal fires but, I don't care. Sometimes it feels so good. (giggling)

There is a scientific reaason for that. According to Scientific American: "We have learned that revenge can activate pleasure centers in the brain and lead to that so-called "sweet taste of revenge." See their website article: http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...enge-evolution

Yes, there is a lot of Science around how we feel good when we get revenge (and some of the studies show men get more pleasure from revenge than women - but that's another issue). But it is a pleasure that doesn't really last.

I find this topic interesting. When my ex (not on this site) left under really bad circumstances, I wanted to 'act-out' and get revenge. But being sober, it wasn't an option. I had to keep chanting "Do no harm" as I can't afford the instant pleasure that revenge would have brought no matter how much I wanted it. So now I do yoga and listen to Buddhist meditations and time has worked its magic on healing. I feel much better about myself than I would have - had I gotten revenge.

When I was so sad on the floor crying, I did a lot of research around the science of being left and wanting revenge (and friends sent me articles). I found that being left hits a part of the brain that is hit when burning hot coffee is spilled on you. It actually is physically painful! And wanting relief is just natural human behavior! It was good to know that there was a reason I was feeling so badly and I just had to do the next right thing and hold on for dear life until my brain was back to itself.

It is wonderfully hard to remain kind in the face of being treated horribly. But in the long run, it is worth it. And even losing my best friend in the 9-11 attacks and living 26 blocks from the trade centers did not make me want revenge as I knew it wouldn't help anything in the long run. In fact, I am sad about all that has been done in the name of those attacks. But I guess that is another thread as well.

Interesting topic.

[WickedFemme]

I don't think 'revenge' is a good idea although I fantasize about it often, I would never actually carry it out. I just feel all ooogey when I give something too much negative energy. I find that it makes me feel more negative and somehow deepens my wrinkle lines, which is not a good thing for my vanity or my spiritual being. I prefer to let it go and move on and focus on the positive and things that are in my control rather than attempt to alter someone's life in some skeezy way. It's not worth it and people are just merely 'human' and make mistakes.

however, if I had a child and someone did something harmful to that child - I don't think I could be all spiritual about it. Perhaps this is why I am not a parent and quite thankful that I'm not.

[Quintease]

I agree that thoughts of revenge are often a very effective medicine.

The reality, not so good. Unless you're the type of person who could be relied upon to break a gang out of a high-security jail, revenge is best left in your head. A revenge-gone-wrong episode will only succeed in making you look bad.

I'm happy as I've never taken revenge on anyone who's ever done me wrong, yet life has always caught them up. Bad people don't generally know where to stop, so eventually lose their friends, their jobs and their reputation. I wouldn't want to live a life of my bridges constantly eroding behind me.

As Duffy very wisely says "I pity the fools who bathe in you
'Cause I know someday now they'll see your colors too"

[kannon]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Shakespeare wrote, revenge is a dish better served cold. If you have to serve it, serve it cold.

[pinkgeek]

The croaking raven doth bellow for revenge.
Hamlet

Originally Posted by kannon

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Shakespeare wrote, revenge is a dish better served cold. If you have to serve it, serve it cold.

http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_b...sages/883.html

ok, so it's wiki
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/reveng...st_served_cold