Revenge refers to one’s desire in getting even. That is, to be able to retaliate for having been hurt, lost, or humiliated or to merely want others to feel the same way as they made them feel us and make their pride become their shame. One can do this even if the target of revenge did not have the slightest idea of having done harm to the other. It is just another form or reciprocating but in a negative way.
There are a number of reasons as to why people seek revenge but one thing that is common to all of these reasons is that one seeks to bring back or satisfy his pride as his goal after having to suffer humiliation and shame. A part of one’s self, emotionally or physically, got hit and the dominating feeling to compensate and satisfy this is to do something against the aggressor.
One of this reasons is that a person feels attacked and that he is suffering unfairly by having lost or gotten injured. This causes the person to feel mixed emotions such as shame, anger, hate, or envy. This is caused by circumstances that range from an unconscious and subtle gesture of action or tactless words that were spoken to a deliberate and open physical attack or reprimand.
Another reason is that a person seems to feel foolish or powerless against someone who has the greater seat or position. He feels humiliated and he desires to seek revenge against another one whom he thinks is not deserving or simply because the other has more power. This sometimes goes hand in hand with feeling sorry to those who have less power.
One common reason for seeking revenge is that a person wants to defend honor. This honor may be honor of one’s self, honor of one’s family, or honor of one’s affiliation or group. Some people are very sensitive when it comes to this kind of things and their desire to defend their honor whatever it takes is also so strong.
How people get revenge can vary from one person to another. There is a really long list of ways on how to get revenge but the common thing among these ways is that these ways are just the means to an end which is satisfying the desire to bring back lost pride, honor, or bruised self-image.
One way to get revenge is to teach the attacker a lesson by doing to him the same thing or something similar as he did so that he will experience exactly the same thing as you did. Another way is to make the attacker learn his lesson by punishing him of wrong deeds such as breaking rules or cheating. Telling one’s side of the story especially with strong foundations or witnesses is another way to get revenge particularly when the attacker is spreading a wrong and twisted story so as to make the attacker feel ashamed and defensive.
The best form of revenge though, as famous quotations go, is forgiveness and living well even after getting humiliated or hurt. This is because it’s only through these that the person attacked will feel genuine peace and it shows a good side of a person which creates a good image for others.
