Why do so many seek revenge?

[Spirit of Light]

If something happen in our life, or even in other parts of the world, why do so many human beings seek revenge and show anger toward other human beings? Are we not all human beings?

 

[Vinayaka]

Lack of self control, basic instincts are allowed to rule the mind. We were all once there.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

This is my thought on the matter, a spin on the golden rule:

Do unto others only that which you are willing to have done unto yourself.

To the point that, when a person shows by their actions that they deem an action to be acceptable (take for example, someone trying to kill you), it becomes a sort of unspoken shared acceptance between you and that individual. As in - now, in the relationship you have with that individual, it is a known quantity between you that attacking with intent to kill is acceptable behavior. This can, of course, be cleared up, and the relationship change. However, if time and time again someone is taking action to try and kill me, you had better bet I am at least strongly going to consider taking advantage of this shared acceptance of intended action, and possibly even go after them before they get yet another chance.

 

[Spirit of Light]

This is my thought on the matter, a spin on the golden rule:


To the point that, when a person shows by their actions that they deem an action to be acceptable (take for example, someone trying to kill you), it becomes a sort of unspoken shared acceptance between you and that individual. As in - now, in the relationship you have with that individual, it is a known quantity between you that attacking with intent to kill is acceptable behavior. This can, of course, be cleared up, and the relationship change. However, if time and time again someone is taking action to try and kill me, you had better bet I am at least strongly going to consider taking advantage of this shared acceptance of intended action, and possibly even go after them before they get yet another chance.

To me killing is never an option even in self defence

 

[dfnj]

If something happen in our life, or even in other parts of the world, why do so many human beings seek revenge and show anger toward other human beings? Are we not all human beings?

I think there is value in having a justice system as long as it is devoid of personal emotions. The "eye for an eye" thing is not moral.

People who are obsessed by feelings of revenge or carry out acts of revenge are probably hurting themselves over the long term.

 

[Nakosis]

If something happen in our life, or even in other parts of the world, why do so many human beings seek revenge and show anger toward other human beings? Are we not all human beings?

Sense of justice. Whatever our moral views, when someone steps outside that boundary, most folks feel a need to restore some type of balance. When the legal system can provide that balance great, but when it can't, people take matters into their own hands. This sense of justice is a very strong motivational driver.

 

[BSM1]

To me killing is never an option even in self defence

Unfortunately most of the rest of the world is not as enlightened as you. There may be a situation where the life of someone you love is in danger and the only way to save that person is to permanently and quickly remove the threat; sometimes circumstances may rule out over convictions.

 

[Spirit of Light]

Unfortunately most of the rest of the world is not as enlightened as you. There may be a situation where the life of someone you love is in danger and the only way to save that person is to permanently and quickly remove the threat; sometimes circumstances may rule out over convictions.

Ofcourse i would protect my fianceè but not by use of force or voilance. in last case i would cover her body with mine and take a bullet for her if needed

 

[Shantanu]

To me killing is never an option even in self defence

The UK State will agree with you as there is no capital punishment even for the vilest of multiple murders.

 

[dfnj]

Unfortunately most of the rest of the world is not as enlightened as you. There may be a situation where the life of someone you love is in danger and the only way to save that person is to permanently and quickly remove the threat; sometimes circumstances may rule out over convictions.

I'm having a trouble understanding how to ignore the moral implications of preemptive revenge. For example, how far does one go in removing potential threats. Countering a threat with equal or superior threat is one thing. The morality of removing a potential threat by killing someone is not so clear to me. Only because what if the person in question never followed through with the potential then the response does not fit the crime.

I do not think the answer is as simple as just take action immediately. It just seems to me there's something not quite morally right in killing the children of Arabs because they might grow up and strap on a suicide bomb.

 

[Shantanu]

Lack of self control, basic instincts are allowed to rule the mind. We were all once there.

Revenge has to be proportionate to the injustice suffered.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

To me killing is never an option even in self defence

Fine for you, if you are willing to sacrifice your life so that a would-be attacker has an easy time of taking you out. But you cannot, in any way, expect that everyone else feel the same way. You simply can't. Consider yours "the high road" all you want. I will never just lay down and die for some fool who can't abide by the golden rule.

 

[Shantanu]

This is my thought on the matter, a spin on the golden rule:


To the point that, when a person shows by their actions that they deem an action to be acceptable (take for example, someone trying to kill you), it becomes a sort of unspoken shared acceptance between you and that individual. As in - now, in the relationship you have with that individual, it is a known quantity between you that attacking with intent to kill is acceptable behavior. This can, of course, be cleared up, and the relationship change. However, if time and time again someone is taking action to try and kill me, you had better bet I am at least strongly going to consider taking advantage of this shared acceptance of intended action, and possibly even go after them before they get yet another chance.

One needs to be able to judge the difficulty faced and take precautionary and proportional measures before the matter gets out of hand.

 

[Spirit of Light]

Fine for you, if you are willing to sacrifice your life so that a would-be attacker has an easy time of taking you out. But you cannot, in any way, expect that everyone else feel the same way. You simply can't. Consider yours "the high road" all you want. I will never just lay down and die for some fool who can't abide by the golden rule.

Ofcourse i dont expect others to do the way i do, they have their own opinions and their own view of what is morally right and wrong to do. So i do not judge those who do different then me

 

[BSM1]

Ofcourse i would protect my fianceè but not by use of force or voilance. in last case i would cover her body with mine and take a bullet for her if needed

But that still leaves her vulnerable; the next bullet will be hers. Not saying you're wrong, but life sometimes gives us hard choices.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

One needs to be able to judge the difficulty faced and take precautionary and proportional measures before the matter gets out of hand.

Fully agreed. I am 100% on board with trying to make sure it doesn't get to this point. However, the proof is in the pudding, as they say. If you can't shake an attacker, and they just keep coming, it would get to a point where I would deem action in kind warranted.

 

[Spirit of Light]

But that still leaves her vulnerable; the next bullet will be hers. Not saying you're wrong, but life sometimes gives us hard choices.

Yes it does, i think i shoulr rephrase my self.

As soon i get her in to safety that will not give her problems if my life was lost during helping her, then taking a bullet is not something i see as wrong, or atleast i have tried to make her safe.

 

[Shantanu]

Fully agreed. I am 100% on board with trying to make sure it doesn't get to this point. However, the proof is in the pudding, as they say. If you can't shake an attacker, and they just keep coming, it would get to a point where I would deem action in kind warranted.

The dharmic thing to do is to just do that which will stave off the danger from the attacker, otherwise you yourself may find that you are in the dock for attacking back disproportionately.

 

[dfnj]

Revenge has to be proportionate to the injustice suffered.

I'm not sure revenge is the answer. Once a loved one is dead it's not like a revenge killing eases one's suffering. This is why we have justice system that is impersonal and not driven by emotions.

My fear with revenge is it will probably come at a cost. And that cost might be so great, if the loved one were still alive, would probably advise against the act of revenge in the first place.

It's a difficult conversation no matter how we respond or how we choose to act.

 

[BSM1]

I'm having a trouble understanding how to ignore the moral implications of preemptive revenge. For example, how far does one go in removing potential threats. Countering a threat with equal or superior threat is one thing. The morality of removing a potential threat by killing someone is not so clear to me. Only because what if the person in question never followed through with the potential then the response does not fit the crime.

I do not think the answer is as simple as just take action immediately. It just seems to me there's something not quite morally right in killing the children of Arabs because they might grow up and strap on a suicide bomb.

Obviously we are not talking about the same thing. However, suppose an Arab child has a bomb strapped to his chest while holding a hand grenade and is approaching a busy market in some ME town full of grandmothers and children. Now suppose the child is ordered to stop numerous times by security forces but he keeps coming surely intent on mayhem; what do you do?