Revenge - Is it ever justified?

Hello good Discussionauts, I present to you and your lovely Salon an enclosed envelope with the simple question:

Revenge - Is it ever justified?

Provided is the definition for "revenge" so one may choose particular arguments:

re·venge [ri-venj] Show IPA verb,-venged, -veng·ing, noun
–verb (used with object)
1.
to exact punishment or expiation for a wrong on behalf of, esp. in a resentful or vindictive spirit: He revenged his murdered brother.
2.
to take vengeance for; inflict punishment for; avenge: He revenged his brother's murder.
–verb (used without object)
3.
to take revenge.
–noun
4.
the act of revenging; retaliation for injuries or wrongs; vengeance.
5.
something done in vengeance.
6.
the desire to revenge; vindictiveness.
7.
an opportunity to retaliate or gain satisfaction.



Based on such examples throughout human history, private or rather influential, and such derivative choices as a whole, what are your opinions, good sirs and madams?

 

I think that revenge isn't the right way of handling things, but some people just have it coming to them. But taking revenge on someone is a HUGE risk. You can always get in trouble for taking matters into your own hands. Like fights at school, it doesn't matter who started it, both of the people are normally suspended for it

 

I didn't know revenging was a word xD

Anywho. I believe it depends on the circumstances. There are some things which are unnecessary for revenge while there are some things where revenge is the only option. It all comes down to the choices the person has to make and whether the other options are justice or not.

 

depending on the situation yes
of course it is

 

As Hamlet teaches us, no it is not justified. When someone becomes vengeful, they stop caring about anyone else or what happens as long as they get revenge. Look at Hamlet. People keep on stepping over each other trying to get revenge, causing more people to want revenge. The result? They all die. Including the death of a completely innocent and non-vengeful person.

 

it depends, i do believe that it IS justice sometimes but i would lean more on people not doing it at all. that's because it can start a chain reaction of people who keep hurting each other back and forth because someone did it to them first. that's how these stupid gang wars happen.

 

Revenge is a toxin that can consume and take over even the most brightest hearts. The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.

 

Hamlet didn't really teach us about how unjustifiable revenge is, only how futial it can be if you don't plan properly. Hamlet was an angry teen who took his time in order to kill Claudius, which, through his procrastinating throughout the story, was what led to his downful, even when he was given the opportunity to take revenge on Claudius whilst he was praying, he instead stopped, rationalised the situation and left. And also one of the few times he attempts to actually kill his uncle was when he mistook him for Polonius.
If you compare this to Fortinbrais' side story, who immediately sent a whole army to exact his revenge for his father's defeat at the hands of Old Hamlet by conquering Denmark. He would have succeded as well if it wasn't for the tragedy that had already befallen the Royal family when he arrived.
In the end, revenge was, for both men, justifiable in their own way, but it is in the way it is executed that can make a big difference between victory and defeat.

Now in real life I would say revenge is understandable but to justify is a bothering matter. I can't justify killing a man for stealing from me, but for murdering a lot of people I could rationalise the idea. The actual context of the situation is what would make me decide when revenge is right and wrong.
I've commited revenge before and, though I don't like to think about it, I may do same again in the future.

 

I feel that revenge is never the good thing but it is the right thing.
I always restrain myself from taking revenge whenever possible but i still feel it necessary.

 

Who can possibly be sure what is just and therefore say if revenge is justified?
What I know though, is that it never ends well, even when there are mitigating facotrs.

 

Revenge can only be justified when used correctly...if someone tries to stab you you need to get revenge to survive...get 'em back stop history repeating...though this is unlikely.

 

I personally don't think so.

It is so nice to sometimes think about exacting your own brand of justice onto someone who has ****ed you over or done something to cause harm, but it isn't worth it. It results into bringing yourself down to the level of the wrongdoer and in some cases can actually land you yourself in worse trouble.

I'd rather hold my head high and walk on, life has its own way of dealing with those in need of a kick in the face.

 

Justice is in the eye of the beholder, so naturally it is justified to whoever is taking the revenge.

Revenge is also an immensely good deterrent. If one person crosses me, and ends up beheaded in public, will the next person to consider crossing me think differently?

 

Oh and also to add, countries repeatedly justify the act of vengeance, whether it be by invading another country because a terrorist cell that attacked your country is said to live there, or not.
In the global climate of politics, if one country attacks you and you simply don't try to retliate in a diplomatic way or another, then your country either isn't worried about the threat that the other country posseses or is too weak to retiliate from fear of further attacks. Either way yuor showing your country to be an easy mark.

Or I kill you, and become the feared one few people will cross.

 

Exactly, which is why we get the mafia culture. If you kill me, I've got an entire family and multiple gangs to kill you in revenge.

It's like a game of chess. You guard a square with the threat of lots of pieces, so your opponent doesn't attack the guarded piece for fear of losing their own piece.

 

Pretty much what P said.

I've always defined justice as "publically accepted revenge."

 

I think not...people often use the phrase "justice is blind." Im not going to say that often justice isnt closely related to or even greatly affected by emotions, but I sort of interpret the phrase meaning justice is not bound by concerns about who a person is, their ideologies, feelings etc. There is only right and wrong. Not how you feel about whats right and whats wrong.

The dictionary definition shows revenge as being completely affected by feelings...therefore, revenge is never justified. Countless stories point to revenge causing more pain and suffering, because it just turns into a vicious cycle (you get revenge, then the victim gets revenge, then you get revenge again, etc.). And getting revenge never really makes one feel better anyway. Proving something to be right or good (justifying) does though.

 

Usually not. It all depends on what you're getting revenge for. I mean like getting revenge for the intentional death of a friend or family member MAY be justified.

 

Personally, I really don't think so.

The whole "an eye for an eye" has never really made much sense to me. If you commit an act of revenge, you're basically doing the same thing your "attacker" or whatever has done. For example, someone murdered your brother. In revenge, you kill the murderer. You've just done the same thing a murderer has done. Sure, it may make you feel better and even satisfied, but really, in my opinion, you've now lowered yourself down to their level.

So no, I don't think revenge is justified. I believe being the bigger person and not getting revenge is much more satisfying. Besides, karma will catch up with them eventually.

 

I'm gonna be a hippie here and quote Gandhi: "An eye for an eye only makes the world blind." I strongly believe this.

There is a great difference between justice and revenge that it seems some tend to forget. Justice is a matter of ethics/morals, and sustaining society. Revenge almost always personal, and gets people nowhere. For example, when someone punches you, punching back doesn't solve anything at all. It only escalates the situation. When someone kills your mom, killing their mom doesn't bring your mom back, it's only brings you down to the other person's level.