My Revenge-Justified and Explained

My Revenge-Justified and Explained

The Study: Why We Really Enjoy Getting Revenge

After nearly three thousand years of research, Science has finally managed to explain what has always been common sense to the average man. The following article extracted from someplace else on the Web provides an explanation for the true to life story that follows it:

Revenge is sweet. When we are wronged by someone, most of us take great pleasure in yelling at that person. There's a reason for this. According to new research from scientists at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, revenge is linked to the area of the brain associated with enjoyment and satisfaction. The BBC News Online reports that this may explain why so many of us choose to reprimand others when they break the rules or abuse our trust.

The study

The Swiss researchers tested seven pairs of men as they played a game that involved an exchange of money. The men were each given 10 units of money and told they could increase their winnings if they trusted one another. They could not see each other while they were playing. Player No. 1 was given the option of keeping all his money or giving it to his opponent. If he kept it to himself, he didn't make anything extra, but if he gave it all to his opponent, the opponent's winnings would quadruple. Player No. 2 was then asked whether he wanted to keep the money or share it with his opponent. If he failed to share it, the first player would be asked whether or not his opponent should be punished. They were given one minute to make their decision, during which time the scientists monitored their brains using positron electron tomography, or PET, scanners.

The results:

If one of the men didn't play fair, he was usually punished by the other. In fully six out of the seven cases, the opponent chose to reprimand the other player. During the reprimand, the dorsal striatum region of the brain was activated, an area known to be involved in feelings of enjoyment and satisfaction. This same area lights up when someone who is in love sees a photograph of his beloved. "It suggests that there is a satisfaction associated with punishing norm violations--they have been cheated, they feel bad in that situation probably--and now by punishing, they feel less bad," study co-author Dr Ernst Fehr told the BBC News.

"Instead of cold, calculated, reason, it is passion that may plant the seeds of revenge," psychologist Brian Knutson of Stanford University wrote in a commentary accompanying the study findings that were published in the journal Science. He equated it to an aggressive driver who refuses to allow another car to pass in front of him in heavy traffic. "After squeezing back the intruder, you can't help but notice a smile creep onto your face," Knutson wrote in Science.

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Finally a scientific justification for the following incident:

Classic Revenge

A Christian says: "Do unto others..."
A Jew says: "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth"
An Arab says: "Harm one tooth in my head and I'll have
your whole damned mouthful."

Revenge, they say, is sweet. They are wrong. Revenge, if taken properly, well thought out in advance, executed with precision, and successful in its outcome, is probably one of the most soul satisfying endeavours in which a person can engage. It is not just a matter of getting even, it's a matter of doing the other bastard just a little bit better and sticking it to him right where he lives.

The other morning when I was out for a coffee, I was joined by the Madame of our local whorehouse. During the course of our discussion of business practice and procedures in general, she told me the story of one of her customers that, to me represents the epitome of successful revenging practice. An insult or hurt was received, an appropriate remedy for that hurt was established as a goal, and a plan was devised to effectively unite the perpetrator of the crime with the remedy.

It seems the Madame was awakened the other morning by a terrific pounding on the door of the whorehouse. She rushed down to greet this early business opportunity, but when she opened the door was surprised to find only a little boy standing on the step. He was quite agitated and upset and she could see that he had been crying, so she asked what she could do for him. He looked her straight in the eye and with barely contained rage in his voice told her he wanted a whore.

She was taken aback by this, and enquired as to his age. He bluntly told her that that was none of her business, he had enough money, produced a wad of bills to verify this assertion, and told her she could take it or leave it, he didn't really give a shit. If she didn't want his money he knew who her competition was in town and he'd just go there, so make up her mind, yes or no? Well, cash is cash, and it was better she take it now and keep it from that gutter crawling bitch who ran that low class brothel down the street.

Resolving to do business with him, and with total customer satisfaction an established policy of the house, she agreed and asked if he had any preference when it came to his choice of whores. He told her he really didn't give a shit what the bitch looked like or how old she was but, she had to have Syphilis. The Madame was totally astonished by his request and refused to proceed any further with the business until he explained why he would want to contract this horrible sexual disease.

The boy thought it over for a minute and then, with a look of enraged anticipation on his face, told her:

Well, she'll give it to me,

I'll give it to Sis.

Sis'll give it to Dad.

Dad will give it to Mom,

Mom will give it to the Postman,

and

That's the son-of-a-bitch that stepped on my frog.