Revenge is often depicted as a negative or morally questionable pursuit, but it needn’t be. While it’s crucial to emphasise the importance of forgiveness too, understanding the potential benefits of seeking revenge can shed light on why people are drawn to it.
Why I’m drawn to it.
Firstly, seeking revenge provides a sense of catharsis. When someone feels wronged or hurt by another individual, the desire for retribution can consume them. Taking action, whether it’s confronting the person directly or finding other means of retaliation, can offer a release of pent-up emotions. This release can feel empowering and help restore a sense of justice.
Additionally, seeking revenge can serve as a deterrent against future transgressions. By demonstrating the consequences of harmful actions, individuals may think twice before engaging in similar behaviour in the future. In some cases, seeking revenge can act as a form of self-defence, signalling to others that one will not tolerate mistreatment or injustice.
Moreover, seeking revenge can foster a sense of closure. For some individuals, letting go of resentment or anger is not possible without first addressing the harm inflicted upon them. By seeking revenge, they hope to balance the scales and find a resolution to the conflict that caused their pain. This closure can be instrumental in the healing process, allowing individuals to move forward with their lives.
Furthermore, seeking revenge can affirm one’s sense of identity and worth. When someone has been wronged, seeking revenge can be a way of asserting their value and asserting their boundaries. It sends a message that they refuse to be victimised and will take action to protect themselves. In this way, seeking revenge can be a form of self-empowerment, reclaiming agency in the face of adversity.
However, it’s important to acknowledge that seeking revenge is not without its risks and drawbacks. It can perpetuate a cycle of violence and escalate conflicts, leading to further harm for all parties involved. Additionally, it may prevent individuals from finding true healing and closure, as the focus remains fixated on the past rather than on moving forward.
Alternatively, all it may take to move forward and let go of the past is to deliver a good dose of revenge at an optimum time. If the method of revenge used is right, escalation can’t occur. There’s a conclusion, and it has an in-built happy-ever-after, too.
My story is like that. Its revenge doesn’t seek forgiveness or wish to be boastful. It simply seeks to right a deeply personal wrong and to do it quietly. One way or another, there will be justice. Closure will follow. A happy ever after is guaranteed.
-A
SEETHINGS II follows the return of the Storm Killer as a body on a secluded beach in Moreton Bay, igniting fear and denial. While police dismiss the link, the media doesn’t. Mitchell Felding forms a dangerous bond with a man who understands his darkest impulses. When Natasha enters his life, carrying love letters from her murdered mother, intimacy deepens, and truth closes in. Some futures are inherited. Some have escaped.
Discover more from Michael Forman – Author of Dark Fiction & Drama
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