I am a heavy believer in the principles of Karma. However, whether or not this is inherently woven into the fabric of our universe is yet to be seen. Because of this, I feel as though everyone is morally responsible to ensure that “karma” takes place. This social duty would promise a generally balanced and reciprocal world. The world doesn’t necessarily have to be fair, but it is injecting a sense of justice into the macrocosm when we help people get what they deserve, whether good or bad. It invokes peace and righteousness within a society, and allows for a perfect cycle of growth. On a smaller, individualistic scale, those who do good for the world, get the positive reinforcement they need and deserve to continue doing good, and those who do bad, “learn their lesson”, and are compelled to do better by either incentive or understanding. Those who remain indifferent, possibly the biggest culprits in societal stagnation and/or regression, will begin to notice the effects on people and will feel influenced to make a choice of their own.

Even if someone is receiving some sort of punishment or chastisement for their behaviors, which sounds negative, it will end up being positive for them, and others, in the long run due to the cyclical nature of revenge. If someone can fully grasp what is wrong with a recurring behavior or theirs, which is almost only possible through some sort of difficult lesson they must be exposed to, they will learn to discontinue the behavior. This will, thus, result in a better life for them as their undesirable behavior will no longer receive a negative, vengeful response from others, and others will no longer be subjected to whatever that person is inflicting. Many definitively “good” humans often times have trouble grasping the ethics of revenge, as the “eye for an eye” concept has many morally opposed to the concept of revenge. However, if one is so compelled to seek revenge, it is always going to be because someone went against something they hold to be a fundamental ethic, and therefore, can be easily justified. For instance, if a kid misbehaves by sneaking an extra carton of ice cream home from the store, it doesn’t make sense to punish him by giving him time-out or not allowing him to hang with friends for a while. The punishment must fit the crime for the offender to understand the enormity of his or her wrongdoing. The child should be disallowed from eating ice cream for a period of time. If he wanted the ice cream bad enough to steal it, preventing him from getting what he so desperately wanted is the only way he’ll feel the sting deep enough to understand what he did wrong. The same goes for revenge. Of course, limits need to be placed of acts of vengeance. Dangerous and illegal acts aren’t ideal, and acts that are entirely bereft of all moral bearing should be ruled out. However, there are forms of healthy revenge-revenge that settles the score by giving someone a “taste of their own medicine”, and eventually, benefits the wrongdoer, causing no permanent or lasting harm. I theorize that revenge may be healthy and nourishing to those who are subject to it, not only those who seek it.

While the question of which acts are worthy of revenge, and what goes too far or is too harmful to the victim of said vengeful act are highly subjective, one thing isn’t. New studies are beginning to show that revenge is actually nourishing and healthy to those who seek it. When a person inflicts pain on another, and that pain is not properly worked through, the person harmed in the original act(s) tends to become either masochistic, or takes their anger out on others who are not deserving of said pain, which, in turn, is equally as masochistic because it will promptly destroy relationships and/or make the person feel guilty, making for an overall frustrating existence. Yes, I acknowledge that this may sound like a case of the classic slippery slope fallacy, but think about it. Most people are hurt a multitude of times in their lives. If you continue to repress these feelings of pain and release them through self-deprecation or shame, it will consume you. Mild acts of revenge may be the healthiest way to release anger. You’re not inflicting undue pain on yourself, or anyone else that doesn’t deserve it, and the person gets what they deserve. You feel better, people in your life are spared unwarranted maltreatment, and there’s a distinct possibility you taught the person a lesson or two about becoming a better person in the long run (while still inflicting enough of a sting to give you a good bit of satisfaction). This is called healthy sadism. Of course, most acts of revenge can’t permanently erase any major suffering you’ve endured, but it can certainly help to overcome any feelings of inferiority or betrayal by reversing who holds the power and ability to evoke strong feelings (of any kind) in the other. It can help repair a wounded ego, and work through any damage to the psyche by allowing you to see yourself as capable defeating the very thing that caused you to feel so low.

It makes sense that many would have difficulty justifying this morally, still, and/or have trouble creating the distinctions between what is okay and what is pushing some ethical boundaries. However, I see to it that most of us carry out acts of revenge with little conscious realization of what we’re doing. If a friend, for instance, spreads a rumor about you on impulse, it would make sense that you, possibly, would no longer like to be associated with them, for a variety of reasons. You ignore them, or speak to them only when necessary if you’re being cordial, thus ending the friendship, and causing them to feel bad about what they’ve done. It fits the crime because they have one less person to talk to, and it was their mouth that committed the original transgression. You feel like you have power over the person that once had the power over you, because you’re fully dictating the path the relationship is taking. The person can comprehend what they did wrong, and can possibly grow from the realization that what they did, in fact, had heavy consequences. This is a mild form of revenge, which, by definition, is the desire to inflict retribution. Revenge is a natural human response to things that many people repress due to their moral compass directing them elsewhere, but in actuality, can be done in a healthy manner. This philosophy of revenge asserts that revenge is not only innate and healthy, but, if executed with a sound mind, of course, can even be morally just. Due to its genuinely negative connotation, however, it has become the road less traveled. I don’t like to say that I’m an advocate for revenge, but rather, an advocate for reinforcing what should occur as a result of universal workings, or more realistically, human nature, but often times does not.