Damon Inferel Posted November 2, 2003 Report Posted November 2, 2003 I was rcently contemplating on something, and I find that people will do some awkward things for vengeance. In some cases, people will torture family members of the person they want revenge against and other malevolent things. Vengeance is never pretty... I came up with a hypothetical situation, and it is the sort of scenario that asks you what you would do in that sort of situation. I must ask that you do not simply base it off of a fantasy, but rather try to actually place yourself there... I hope you take my meaning. Here goes... It's a weekend... any weekend of the year, and you are planning a family reunion. However, most of your family say that they can't make it because of car trouble, in fact all of them either don't own a car, or something else... Being kind, you offer to pick them up, say, in your van. (You're driving a van... Grrr) They all live within a few miles of each other, mainly because you are very tightly knit with your family. Much like a non-violent mafia. Your entire family is in your van after you pick them up, and you are speeding down the highway, but only like a mile or so above the speed limit. you're not really doing anything wrong. About halfway to wherever you are holding your reunion, there is a horrible accident. In fact, it is so horrible, you are the only survivor of your family, and you watched each of your other family mebers die a painful and unelievable cruel death. (Trapped between seats and shrapnel while the van and other cars around it are burning their flesh away... something like that.) Their screams and cries for help haunt you for weeks after, nightmares plaguing you, and you are guilt-ridden that you could not do anything. Presuming that you have a strong will to live, you have not killed yourself in grief. (Might as well continue the family line...) You eventually discover that it was your worst enemy, or rival, or someone like that that caused the accident, and they did it intentionally. However, they are hospitalized. You find out s/he will be getting out of the hospital shortly. Now, with all of the grief and such that their malevolence has put you through... what do you do? As opposed to the other question, whatever you do, you have to avoid getting caught. If you kill them and the cops find out, you're probably going to get busted. That sort of thing... However, to add an alternative universe to it... Let's say that it was your best friend, and they are quite sorry for what they've done. Nonetheless, your whole family (Wife, kids, brothers, sisters... etc...) is dead. What would you do in that situation?
Peredhil Posted November 2, 2003 Report Posted November 2, 2003 Shrugs I've been through enough that I know that my answer isn't just talk. First, I wouldn't be guilt-ridden - I think guilt over circumstances beyond your control is stupid and a waste of energy. Nightmares... I'm rather odd in that I've always seen them as interesting and usually studied them for a story or to weave into my FARS worlds. But as to vengeance- I'm a Christian who really truly believes it. Enemy or Friend (although I'd be more cautious with the Enemy), I'd try to assuage THEIR guilt and grief, and pray for them. Talk to them if they'd let me. If vengeance is needed, I've found that God does it far far more effectively than I, cause my imagination is limited and my reach is short. I've seen it enough that I really feel sorry for people who damage or try to damage me and mine. It frees me to live my principles. -Peredhil
Damon Inferel Posted November 2, 2003 Author Report Posted November 2, 2003 Hmmm... I never thoguht of that. Thank you for your insight. I can't, personally, say too much about God bringing vengeance for me, but that might be because I, myself, am not a Christian. I'm a little immature in the evil sense, and I'd probably ruin their life somehow. Their family shouldn't suffer unless they had a hand in it, so I'd probably just set up an elaborate conspiracy and figure out who else has a grudge against them. In turn, I'd use the information that those people had to ruin his life in a non-violent fashion. (Make his wife betray him, cause his career to fall through, etc...) It'd all take some planning though. Sadly, however, I am not one who has that strong of a will to live, and if my family died... I'd probably kill myself. However, my family includes my girlfriend, and I'm heartless enough to maybe shed only one tear if the rest of my family died. I still have a lot of internal conficts I have to work out about my past before I care about my family... If it were my friend... I'd congratulate them on their good aim, confuse them, and simply think that hitting them with a baseball bat would suffice. If they didn't think they deserved it... something's wrong. But... I wouldn't hit them in the face. I have to wonder about if my girlfriend's family was with the reunion as well, presuming we were married or something. If her family died, along with her... I wouldn't live long enough to care about vengeance.
Tamaranis Posted November 2, 2003 Report Posted November 2, 2003 Under those conditions, I can't really say what my mental state would be.
Ayshela Posted November 2, 2003 Report Posted November 2, 2003 i.. don't.. know. vengeance for my own sake - nah, never happen. vengeance for my family - depends on how you define family... maybe. vengeance against an enemy - keep a low profile, you don't *have* enemies to speak of.. vengeance against a friend - nah, never happen. hrmm... i don't know.
Nyyark Posted November 2, 2003 Report Posted November 2, 2003 I would shed myself and who every was left would probably join one of the armed forces.
Regel Posted November 2, 2003 Report Posted November 2, 2003 Take away everyone a person loves in a deliberate act would be like destroying their very core. They would be an empty shell of who they once were. The way you staged this question you would have created the perfect killing machine don't you think? Revenge is not outside the realm of human responses. Trouble is you would forfeit your very soul. I would look long and hard but ultimately the only chance of a reunion with the ones I love would be lost and my enemy would have truly won in his attempt to ruin me. Change the question to "Would you kill someone to protect the family you love?" The answer is simple. Yes I would.
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