Name any soap opera, or reality show, and it will surely have the plotline twist devoted to revenge. And it shouldn’t come as a surprise. People are motivated to seek revenge — to pay someone back who has done something to them — when they feel attacked, mistreated or socially rejected.
Part of us thinks it will provide us with some closure, another part needs an emotional release, while the rest has a deep urge to restore our dignity or stature. Having said that, revenge is not always as rewarding as people expect. After all, it may involve risk, and largely dwells on lack of self-control.
But in order to really see what motivates people to act as if it was “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,” we have to look at real-life examples. “What was your finest moment of revenge?” asked someone on Ask Reddit, and people confessed their stories. We selected some of the most interesting and thought-provoking answers below that will make us reflect on the very nature of revenge.
#21
Ex cheated on me, moved out but moved out slowly over time, which meant I still lived with a lot of her stuff. Some of her clothes were left in the closet. I cut teeny tiny corners off of every sleeve, but barely enough to be noticeable. You'd have to think you were going insane to notice it...but then again, over time, each sleeve did look...somewhat off. She eventually asked me about it months later. I denied everything. I regret nothing.
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142points
#22
I was living in a Middle Eastern country a few years back. Nice place, but because 50% of the population in the region is under the age of 20, the roads are simply overrun by teenage and early-20s douchebags. The culture's fatalism makes young guys even more reckless and irresponsible than they are already programmed to be by their hormones.
So, after a rare rain shower the highway is flooded up ahead. 18 inches deep. Traffic is backed up for at least a mile, and it takes us 15 minutes to get to the flooded patch. Everyone is pissed. Then I see two cars full of teenage douchebags passing people on the shoulder on the right from way behind me. Mother*f****r*, there's just no excuse for *that* horses**t.
Eventually they get to where I am, and they pass me *just* as we're reaching the 50-yard stretch where the flooding is crossing the road. And wouldn't you know it? One of them crosses into the far left lane, and one stays in the right lane to avoid the deep water... in the middle lane...
And wouldn't you know it? Their windows are rolled down...
I'm in a Toyota Land Cruiser - nice big 4WD. So while they're crawling through a foot of water in their little action-boy Hondas, I decide f**k it and GUN IT between them through the deep stuff in the middle lane.
The wave from my front wheels was about 6 feet high, and it had to have put 20 gallons of water through the windows of both cars. Completely. F*****g. Drenched. All of them. With nasty urban stormwater runoff. BUUUAAAAHAHAAHAHAAAHAAA!
Of course they chased up after me once they cleared the water, screaming and cursing, but I just pretended to be on my phone and ignored them. Eventually they gave up and (I hope) figured I had just been as impatient and selfish as them and had hosed them by accident.
Most satisfying revenge of my life.
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140points
#23
I was bullied a lot in middle school because, you know, middle school. I was a quiet, unassuming, itty-bitty girl who got along well with the teachers and always did my homework/answered questions/blahblahblah.
One day in class, this kid is being a d**k and throwing (his) stuff at me. Whatever, the usual. BUT when the teacher is turned away, I whip an eraser (one if his that he had thrown) at this kid's face and hit him right in the middle of his f*****g forehead. He's stunned for a second and then tries to get me in trouble. B***h can't do s**t because a) it is his eraser and 2) no one believed that I would do something like that.
Made my day.
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138points
#24

When I was 12 years old, a kid beat me up at a birthday party for reasons unknown. 4 years later, the kid is a pitcher (and a very good one at that) for his school in the playoffs. I was playing for the other team. After going 0-3 to start the game, I hit a walk-off home run off of him to advance to the next round. Kid actually started crying on the mound. I don't think I've ever had a bigger smile than I did in that moment. Still have the ball in my apartment at college.
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125points
#25
Recently posted this, but:
Long story short, and kid I was friends with hit me in the balls 3 times in one night. He then called me a "wee baby" and got in my face. He tried to make me flinch by half-swinging at me. I didn't flinch, but instead headbutted him with everything I had. Crushed his nose, blood pouring out of his face. I had a tiny cut in the center of my forehead, with one line of blood running down my face. I looked f*****g psychotic, but badass. Also, f**k you for that David.
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124points
#26
When I was 16, I was heartbroken by a girl who basically decided to f**k someone else after we were in love and I just used it as motivation to eat better and lose weight. I saw her a couple years later and it looks like she gained as much as I lost (80 lbs). Felt soo good.
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110points
#27
My first "real" boyfriend (we kissed instead of just holding hands) kissed another girl and dumped me for her when I was a freshman in high school. She had actively pursued him although she knew he had a girlfriend, so I blamed her rather than him. (I know, I know.)
Fast forward four years: I was a volleyball player throughout college. In the off-season I played in a city women's league and a co-ed league as an outside hitter. My team played a new team with a familiar face. She didn't recognize me (different high schools), but I immediately recognized her. My team's setter kept giving me amazing sets and I kept slamming the ball over the net, just waiting for my shot. Finally, she was in the back row and my setter set me up. I hit the ball and the boyfriend stealer stepped into the hit. It bounced off her foot, and went straight up into her face... and broke her nose.
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93points
#28
During our 100 multiple choice law exam, I wrote all my answers on the original exam page and coloured in wrong answers on the scantron sheet. The girl who copied me since day 1 thought she was going to pass this exam worth 30% of our final mark. She looked over and copied almost each of my scantron answer, then guessed a few, handed it in, and left for the Winter break.
I erased all my old answers, put the correct answers in, handed it in, and left. I got 71/100 and barely managed to pass that class. I'll find out what she got on Tuesday when I maybe see her with a gun at my locker.
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88points
#29
The chainsmoker who lives above me tosses his cigarette butts on my back patio. I asked him not to and he just ignored me...so every Friday when he has a party, I call in a noise complaint
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87points
#30

Late to the party... But here's mine
In high school one of my best friends started dating my ex boyfriend the day after we broke up... Which happened to be my 16th birthday. So then and there I decided to ruin her sweet sixteen. I just wasn't sure how.
Fast forward three months. She planned an extravagant birthday party and played hookie from school the Friday before the big party to prepare. This was my opportunity. I told everyone at school that she had gotten the flu, and was postponing the party (hence why she wasn't in school). We were neighbors so everyone bought it.
The next day she got all dolled up, arrived at her sweet 16 party in a large rented ballroom only to spend the entire party with her mom and little sister, not one person showed up.
Looking back it was terrible and mean, but to a 16 year old girl I felt she broke sacred girl code, and that's never okay
TL;DR: a birthday for a birthday leaves the whole world sad
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51points


