Retaliation? Good or Bad?

Retaliation? Good or Bad?

Is the act of retaliation acceptable or not? Isn’t it just a form of fair payback, a lesser degree of the saying an eye for an eye? But the question that comes to mind…Is it really just payback, or can it escalate to something more?

Okay, so people would just give a simple answer. “It’s just a couple of playful punches and pushes, nothing more than that.” Yes, that could very well be the case in school and at home with your younger brother. But what if someone gives you a punch, wouldn’t you punch them harder, and it would just continue until it crosses the line. Sure, in school you’re just having a muck around, playing rough, and being adolescent teenagers.

Don’t many killings have a sense of revenge to it? How many times do they turn out to be caused by people who just don’t like the victim for something he/she has done to them? It could be just simple, you’re fired from the boss and the potential murderer can’t take it and retaliates extremely. And where did this habit of retaliation start, most likely when he/she was growing up, i.e. school, home.          

Back to my main question, is retaliation acceptable in school? My answer, no it isn’t. Retaliation can go too far and can lead to big problems in the near future. School is often where we all begin to retaliate and strike back against people. I believe that if we stop the problem at the root, it won’t be an issue when we grow up. Now, I’m not going to lie and say that I don’t payback my friends if they punch me, but I have control and know when it goes too far. However, I still believe that even people with control can sometimes go over the line so that is why it shouldn’t be tolerated.

There is however, a difference between the act of retaliation and self-defense. Self-defense is when you are protecting yourself from someone else who is attacking you. For example, if someone is hitting you outside a bar, in Sydney, in the middle of the night, you can protect yourself but not fight back.
If YOU begin to attack him back by hitting him constantly that is called retaliation and moves past self-defense. Self-defense is where you try and stop the attacker by blocking him and at furthest (if he’s a male), kneeing him in the jewels and running. There is a big difference; if you retaliate you could end up becoming the murderer.

Now, I reveal to you how you can prevent retaliation from someone who prompts it from you in four simple steps.

Step 1:Think of whether he/she is even worth your time and attention. There is no point in doing anything if it pointless.
Step 2: If what he/she did really annoys you, tell them calmly to stop what they are doing.
Step 3: If they persist, do not have a go at them, instead just walk away and forget about him/her.
Step 4: If they still continue, you can either ask a teacher or a friend to help you sort it out. I know it may sound like a “gay” way to settle it, but it is better and more effective way of dealing with the problem.

Retaliation, it’s not worth it. Just say no, walk away and think no more of it.

Written by,

A lexxx [and] er
June 15, 2009