# Would You Take Revenge? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 25, 2018, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-take-revenge/807422 "2018-01-25T01:30:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BobBitchin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@BobBitchin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobBitchin)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-take-revenge/807422/41 "2018-01-26T10:08:22Z")
> [@DLuxN8R-13](#): > > Oh, _puh-lease._ > > I’ll tell you who _really_ thinks of forgiveness as the great and high Value, or at least is enamored of the idea that “to forgive is Divine” being widely proclaimed and piously promoted: > > _ **Guilty people,** _ that’s who. I laughed out loud.😃 Guilty people suck. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-take-revenge/807422/42 "2018-01-26T11:20:52Z")
> [@B-Rad](#): > > Dude, this makes you sound kind of like a fucked up person. I’m assuming this was just a DUI thing, where nobody actually died and nobody was actually charged with attempted murder, right? Someone just got drunk, drove, and caused an accident because they were stupid. And you hope they die of exposure for that? > > And that’s not even revenge–unless you’re going to take credit for his life falling apart. I’ll add the rest of the story in a sec. First I want to be clear I’m not doing that “gotcha” posting crap that you occasionally see online. The type where someone tells part of a story and tries to win the argument by trotting out a whole new set of information others couldn’t have known about. My apologies if this comes off like that, it was not my intent. The rest of the story (1): The shithead in question had done this multiple times already. Got blind drunk and crashed into folks. He had no insurance, no license, no inspection, and no registration. In this particular crash, there was substantial damage to multiple cars, and we were deprived of our vehicle for over a month. My wife was driving and it took several minutes of coaxing by the responders just to pry her hands from the wheel, as she was terrified by the ordeal. During this process shit-for-brains was hanging out his car window, laughing at her. And she was driving us back from the restaurant because (wait for it…) I’d had a couple of drinks and she was the DD that night. The rest of the story (2): I spent several years in the seventies as an EMT/Ambulance driver. And I have actually pulled the broken victims of these subhumans out of the wreckage and seen the destruction and horror they wreak on families. So I have a real nasty streak when it comes to drunk drivers. In this case, the law finally threw the creature into a cage, although nearly long enough. We were waiting for it when it was released and began what for us, is simply our civic duty of seeing that trash ends up where it belongs, in a dumpster. (Or in his case, living beside one) ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-take-revenge/807422/43 "2018-01-26T11:33:33Z")
Every time I’ve witnessed, or read about someone taking “revenge” on another person, I couldn’t help thinking to myself what a sad, pathetic person they were. So no. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-take-revenge/807422/44 "2018-01-26T16:15:30Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > I’ll add the rest of the story in a sec. I appreciate your perspective, thank you for the explanation. I was becoming concerned my post would be taken as hostile and I’d just get flamed. Can’t say for sure how I’d feel if I were in your shoes. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-take-revenge/807422/45 "2018-01-26T18:18:17Z")
Living well is the best revenge. It may take years, but I’ve seen it work twice. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-take-revenge/807422/46 "2018-01-26T19:54:50Z")
I don’t have anything going on right now or in the recent past that someone more inclined in that direction than I would feel a need to get revenge for. So if I was going to get revenge for something, it would have to be something unpleasant from the distant past. And why would I want to mess with my own head by dredging up unpleasant shit from some other time to think about? That makes no sense to me at all. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-take-revenge/807422/47 "2018-01-26T19:55:53Z")
I want to take revenge for this dumbest poll ever. ---
**Author:** ![BobBitchin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@BobBitchin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobBitchin)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-take-revenge/807422/48 "2018-01-26T20:48:43Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > Living well is the best revenge. It may take years, but I’ve seen it work twice. Since I have only made pro-revenge statements so far, I’ll take this opportunity to say I have seen and done this too. I would go so far as to say it is sometimes far superior to revenge. Not every situation calls for revenge. Not every revenge I’d illegal/bad. If your shitty neighbors shittyness makes you report him for DUI when you see him BBQ/drink beer all day, then run to the store for smokes…that’s not bad. ( It ain’t perfect either) YMMV, IANAL, IMHO, I ain’t your prophet. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-take-revenge/807422/49 "2018-01-27T01:05:14Z")
Is it a proportional response? Then sure. I consider it my duty to humanity to hold up the idea of social justice, what goes around comes around, and one good turn deserves another. A disproportionate response? No. That makes me the bad guy, and I’m the good guy. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-take-revenge/807422/50 "2018-01-27T02:38:38Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > How about “I won’t personally take revenge, but I will delight in my enemy’s misfortune”? Sit by the side of the river, and wait for your enemy’s body to float by… [sub](“But Master, doesn’t that pollute the river?” “STFU, Grasshopper”)[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-take-revenge/807422/51 "2018-01-27T03:55:48Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > Never. Ever. I’ve seen what revenge does. Really does. > > Never, ever. This. ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-take-revenge/807422/52 "2018-01-27T14:07:15Z")
Nope. Not my job. Romans 12:19 - Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-take-revenge/807422/53 "2018-01-27T19:22:49Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I don’t see the point of revenge. Bringing someone to justice, yes. Preventing someone from causing more harm, absolutely. There’s also “Making an example to deter others against doing likewise”. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-take-revenge/807422/54 "2018-01-27T20:41:49Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > There’s also “Making an example to deter others against doing likewise”. That comes under prevention. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2018, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-take-revenge/807422/55 "2018-01-28T01:13:40Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > I voted “Yes” but only in one specific case. In that case, I would make the Spanish Inquisition look unimaginative and dull. Having attended a counseling session with the fosterling this afternoon, I can tell you that compared to HIS revenge fantasies, the Spanish Inquisition _was_ unimaginative and dull:eek: I vote yes for myself, grrrrrr ---
**Author:** ![ArtBeforeScience](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@ArtBeforeScience](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArtBeforeScience)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2018, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-take-revenge/807422/56 "2018-01-28T03:38:34Z")
Purely personal revenge can bind you more tightly to the person who’s done you wrong, which is not always desirable. Malice leaves its mark on the practitioner which can draw bad luck of all sorts. Bringing someone to justice, or bringing their misdeeds to light, is not the same as “revenge”. I would, and have, done this. I would ruin someone’s reputation if I felt it was necessary. Being deliberate about this can be harder than just lashing out. Look at it this way: if you lash out, you might make that person an object of sympathy, which IMO is the last thing you’d want. I define bad revenge as something that I regret doing later on. Either it reflected badly on me or I just felt like a shittier person myself. Part of revenge is not taking further damage yourself, right? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-take-revenge/807422.md?page=2)