Shevacai on Nostr: I'm going to start daily posting an entry from The Daily Stoic - Meditation on ...
I'm going to start daily posting an entry from The Daily Stoic - Meditation on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the art of Living. I hope to give myself a minute to contemplate, and hopefully have other peoples input.
October 13th
Revenge is a dish best not served.
"The best way to avenge yourself is to not be like that."
- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 6.6
"How much better to heal than seek revenge from injury. Vengeance wastes a lot of time and exposes you to many more injuries than the first that sparked it. Anger always outlasts hurt. Best to take the opposite course. Would anyone think it normal to return a kick to a mule or a bite to a dog?"
- Seneca, On Anger 3.27.2
A small anecdote.
A week or two ago I was doing a little work for a man we'll call M. M is a nice guy, but perhaps a little hot headed, definitely not afraid to speak his mind.
He runs a restaurant and he mentioned that he had a guy who he employed 'fuck him over' by using days of sick leave as holiday, and called him from across the other side of the world to let him know he wouldn't be in. It seemed last minute, as he was expected back in a few days later. M sacked the guy. The guy then tried to get an unfair dismissal claim, and won, taking several thousand of M's business' money.
M was pissed, and mentioned to me his plans to get into this guys head by sometime in the future 'knocking on his door and asking him how he is, how everything is going for him', with a look of semi derangement, and a big fake smile on his face.
I said, without thinking "An eye for an eye", and he immediately responded something along the lines of "When someone comes and tries to fuck over a good family man, trying to provide for his family and community, it's not an eye for an eye".
I would think that Marcus Aurelius and Seneca would think "Living the best life, and giving the most you have to offer to the people you love is revenge enough. Karma may respond to this guy in kind, and that's enough"
I've never been someone to want to get back at anyone to this point. I let go of the hatred towards my ex-stepfather many years ago. His health was never good. I knew he suffered, and I didn't have to.
Is what we're currently seeing in the world more of the same? Is everyone out for revenge? Is there any possibily of legitimate reconsciliation? Or is this it? Hatred, spite, vitriol, revenge, division? Or are the drivers pride, belief, honor?
October 13th
Revenge is a dish best not served.
"The best way to avenge yourself is to not be like that."
- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 6.6
"How much better to heal than seek revenge from injury. Vengeance wastes a lot of time and exposes you to many more injuries than the first that sparked it. Anger always outlasts hurt. Best to take the opposite course. Would anyone think it normal to return a kick to a mule or a bite to a dog?"
- Seneca, On Anger 3.27.2
A small anecdote.
A week or two ago I was doing a little work for a man we'll call M. M is a nice guy, but perhaps a little hot headed, definitely not afraid to speak his mind.
He runs a restaurant and he mentioned that he had a guy who he employed 'fuck him over' by using days of sick leave as holiday, and called him from across the other side of the world to let him know he wouldn't be in. It seemed last minute, as he was expected back in a few days later. M sacked the guy. The guy then tried to get an unfair dismissal claim, and won, taking several thousand of M's business' money.
M was pissed, and mentioned to me his plans to get into this guys head by sometime in the future 'knocking on his door and asking him how he is, how everything is going for him', with a look of semi derangement, and a big fake smile on his face.
I said, without thinking "An eye for an eye", and he immediately responded something along the lines of "When someone comes and tries to fuck over a good family man, trying to provide for his family and community, it's not an eye for an eye".
I would think that Marcus Aurelius and Seneca would think "Living the best life, and giving the most you have to offer to the people you love is revenge enough. Karma may respond to this guy in kind, and that's enough"
I've never been someone to want to get back at anyone to this point. I let go of the hatred towards my ex-stepfather many years ago. His health was never good. I knew he suffered, and I didn't have to.
Is what we're currently seeing in the world more of the same? Is everyone out for revenge? Is there any possibily of legitimate reconsciliation? Or is this it? Hatred, spite, vitriol, revenge, division? Or are the drivers pride, belief, honor?