Classroom of the Revenge

V1 - Prologue: What is Revenge?

For a while now, a question has been plaguing me, what constitutes revenge? In today's society revenge is rampant, especially in the media people consume. Despite its commonplace, revenge has been depicted through multiple means. Whether that revenge comes from ruining the offender's life or coming to realize revenge is ultimately fruitless, there is no set definition of revenge.

So that leads to consideration, what defines revenge? If one had the power to drag somebody to Hell, at the price of their own soul, would that be revenge? At the end of the day, both individuals will rot in Hell. The offender and avenged met the same fate, so what difference does it make?

So does this mean that one has to be safe? Not necessarily. The revenge seeker still sunk to great depths to destroy their target. So, are they any better than the offender? Even if an evil was extirpated from the world, another took its place in the heart of the avenged. They still committed acts that most would be denoted as "evil." In society's eyes, they may be treated as evil, and another would seek out revenge. Thus continuing the process.

But what if the individual is hailed as a hero? The issue is what signifies a "hero?" Just because somebody got revenge does not mean they will be hailed as a hero. Being a "hero" is set by the perception of society. Therefore, attaining revenge within societal rules is key to becoming a hero that obtained revenge justly.

So, by that line of logic, if one goes about it justly, then revenge should be justified. However, that is still incorrect. In the path of vengeance many will be hurt along the way. Whether that be oneself, the offender, or anyone who got in the way, somebody will get hurt. To do wrong on another in many cultures is unjust or evil. Just because one society defines it as justifiable does not mean another will.

So does realizing vengeance only leads to pain mean one has attained the ultimate revenge? After all, no one was hurt, the victim never sunk to the dregs of human society and improved. However, I must still say no to this. The offender may never be punished. Waiting for some higher power to dish out justice is foolish. Numerous people have never been punished for their actions, in fact, they are sometimes rewarded for their actions. Infamous United States president Richard Nixon never did. Nixon received a full pardon from his former Vice President which stopped all possibilities of indictment. Then Nixon got to live his life without any other charges because of it. Another individual, Shiro Ishii was never prosecuted for his war crimes against prisoners of war, all he had to do was share his knowledge. Therefore, not everybody will receive punishment.

In any case, revenge does not have one simple answer. Of course I'm not saying that any of the previous definitions for revenge are wrong. If one believes that, they are free to believe that. Ultimately, how we define something is based on what we define it as. A religious person will define their life based on the religion they follow because they chose it. However, some may simply choose to follow religion because they grew up in it. Meanwhile, an atheist will believe what they believe based on their own interpretation. But the same circumstance applies, if one grows up in an atheist household, they may choose to continue that legacy. At any rate, people choose what to believe based on themselves and the society they live in. Right now I am trying to define revenge for myself.

Hey, you there. You, the one reading this right now. Have you ever considered what revenge is for you?

Have you considered a societal perspective? Or have you only considered your own personal definition? Do you believe you can hold true to that definition no matter the storm that comes? At one point or another, I believe that I could define things on my own. However, after my compulsory education, I was faced with society. Can I really say that I will always hold true in my beliefs, even if they differ from everybody else around me? And do I have that right? For one thing, I do not even understand the function of numerous societal norms. In fact, I usually never consider them. I'm sure many people have never considered some of them. For example, traffic signals. When asked most would say that it's necessary so accidents do not happen. Despite this, roundabouts exist and accidents actually decrease in frequency. So can we really say that we will be allowed to define something ourselves if we don't understand every societal perspective. One thing is for certain, I do not know myself, which is why I decided to take this opportunity. I will find the definition of revenge.

A/n: Hello, this is my first time writing a fanfiction so it is probably pretty bad. However, if you have any suggestions please do tell me.

814 words.