3 ms·
Ask HN: Is Revenge worth it?
Have you ever been wronged in a relationship, job, etc. in a very unfair way that made you feel powerless? Did the system fail you?
What happened to you? Did you seek revenge?
I'm not really interested in a philosophical debate, more real life stories.
- andymurd 11y agoNo, it's not worth it. Turn your back and walk away. I'm old enough that I've been crapped upon a few times by employers, governments, the law etc. It hurts and makes you angry but you never really feel like you "win" if you get revenge.
- anon3_ 11y agoCan you elaborate?
- andymurd 11y agoNo, I really have moved on and don't want to go over those things again. If it helps, I am in a significantly better situation than those who sought to gain at my expense. Exacting revenge on others only slowed _my_ progress through life.
- anon3_ 11y ago> I am in a significantly better situation than those who sought to gain at my expense. That feels therapeutic enough and I can relate.
- noir-york 11y agoYou can either look at the past. Or spend your finite time and energy on working towards your (personal) goal. Revenge is a dish best served cold. Nothing annoys the fk out of people then succeeding despite their efforts to trip you up. It makes them feel powerless.
- anon3_ 11y ago> Nothing annoys the fk out of people then succeeding despite their efforts to trip you up. I like it. I want to turn the tables.
- RNeff 11y agoThink of yourself as a marionette, a puppet controlled by strings. Do you control yourself, or are you letting other people pull your strings? If you react to a wrong, you are letting others pull your strings and control you. The other 'wins' because they are controlling you. Any reaction: yelling, fighting, tweeting, blogging, crying, means that they are winning, controlling you. Fairness is a wishful concept, a myth that we want to believe in. Companies are not fair, they have to be profitable and feed the megalomania of the CEO. People change, and so do relationships. Shit happens. Let it go, and move on to Plan B. You control your future, the past cannot be changed.