Revenge

A wise man named Mahatma Gandhi once said “an eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.” I like this quote because it seems that the message this quote tries to convey is usually the answer to many people’s  problems, but of course nobody listens and consequently most of society’s problems are the result of it. In this quote, Gandhi is alluding to the Hammurabi code that states “an eye for an eye”, which states if someone wronged you, you must go after that person and wrong him the same way he wronged you. Gandhi was a peace activist and despised this quote because he believed no good could come out of revenge.

The great thing about this quote is that it can be interpreted literally and metaphorically. Its literal meaning translates to the following; if a person stabs another person’s eyes, they will then (according to the code of Hammurabi) pluck one of the other person’s eyes out. This would keep going on until both people are blind and have exhausted energy on something useless like revenge.

This quote doesn’t only apply to eye-plucking and literal blindness. It also means getting revenge from someone who has wronged you. However you will only make him retaliate and eventually there will be a dark and negative veil around you and the other person and neither of you will be able to see past the confusion and deceit, ultimately making you and “the whole world blind”.

Revenge turns people against each other who could have otherwise solved their conflicts in a more peaceful manner and not to mention, revenge is the sure way to make sure that a relationship can never be the same way again.

Besides, when has revenge ever helped anyone? Wars and family feuds and untimely demises are the only products of revenge. Wouldn’t Romeo and Juliet still be alive if their families didn’t feud endlessly until they eventually forgot why they were fighting? Wouldn’t Achilles still be alive if he didn’t get revenge from Hector by dragging his lifeless body around in his carriage? Wouldn’t most wars not even start if a country or a dictator  didn’t take it upon themselves to get revenge? Not only does no good come out of revenge. It spawns more evil, more lies, and more anguish.

       I personally had fits of rage where I too thought revenge was the best course of action, but all that time spent thinking negative and hateful thoughts could have been spent instead on just calming down and forgetting what happened. Having this “eye for an eye” mindset can make a person do something they will regret later on, and that’s why we should take Mahatma Gandhi’s word of advice and not take it upon ourselves to get revenge.