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“A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser.”

Alberto Moravia

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Simplified Meaning:

When someone tries to fix a mistake or seek revenge but ends up getting hurt or punished themselves, the original problem hasn't really been fixed. Imagine a person who goes after someone that stole from them and, in the process, gets caught and ends up in jail. In this case, the person who stole something never actually faces justice, and now the person who tried to get even is in trouble themselves. It’s like if a kid on the playground gets pushed and then pushes back harder, only for a teacher to see the second push and punish the kid who pushed back. The first shove goes unnoticed and unpunished, so the real problem – the initial bullying – hasn't been solved. Plus, the kid who retaliated ends up paying for it. This idea tells us that if we seek revenge or try to handle a situation ourselves, it might backfire, and we might suffer consequences without fixing the initial issue. It’s probably better to find a fair and safe way to deal with problems, like talking to an authority figure or resolving things peacefully, so everyone is treated justly, and no one ends up facing unfair repercussions.

Related tags
Consequences Ethics Fairness Justice Moral Responsibility Retribution Revenge
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