https://stoicteacher.medium.com/whats-the-difference-between-justice-and-revenge-b65718dd7acf
Justice relates to morality and fairness. It is abstract. Revenge is an emotional response unrelated to higher ideals.
* If a wild horse harms you, justice seeks to better train the horse while revenge seeks to harm it. Below is a selection from the Republic by Plato in which this idea is discussed “Is it, then,” I said, “the part of a just man to harm any human being whatsoever?” “Certainly,” he said, “bad men and enemies ought to be harmed.” “Do horses that have been harmed become better or worse?” “Worse.” “With respect to the virtue^^ of dogs or to that of horses?” “With respect to that of horses.” “And when dogs are harmed, do they become worse with respect to the virtue of dogs and not to that of horses?” “Necessarily.” c “Should we not assert the same of human beings, my comrade — that when they are harmed, they become worse with respect to human virtue?” “Most certainly.” “But isn’t justice human virtue?” “That’s also necessary.” “Then, my friend, human beings who have been harmed necessarily become more unjust. “ “It seems so.” “Well, are musicians able to make men unmusical by music?” “Impossible.” “Are men skilled in horsemanship able to make men incompetent riders by horsemanship?” “That can’t be. “ “But are just men able to make others unjust by justice, of all things? Or, in sum, are good men able to make other men bad by vir- tue?” “Impossible.”
* Justice relates to morality and fairness. It is abstract. Revenge is an emotional response unrelated to higher ideals.
* When a government harms you, it’s called justice, and when an individual harms you, it’s called revenge.
* “And now,” said the unknown, “farewell kindness, humanity, and gratitude! Farewell to all the feelings that expand the heart! I have been heaven’s substitute to recompense the good — now the god of vengeance yields to me his power to punish the wicked!” The Count of Monte Cristo, Chapter 30
* They can often overlap, but they are not the same thing. Revenge is to make you personally feel better about a ‘perceived’ injustice, where as justice is reality straightening itself the right way based on what is objectively the just outcome for all. As I say though, they can overlap!!
* Revenge is paying injustice with injustice.
* Justice comes out of Self Respect.. Revenge comes out of giving your power away and staying weak.
* Justice is always revenge.. revenge is not necessarily justice..
* One is connected with the law, whilst the other is personal.
* One of them is devoid of malevolence. That if we are speaking objective justice.
* Revenge is a self-centred response whereas justice is group administered.
* Justice ruled by laws; revenge by emotion.
* Revenge is personal and justice is for all.
* Justice is reasonable; revenge is pleasurable…or something thereabouts.
* Justice is something done to correct the scales. Revenge is done for personal gratification. Revenge may sometimes be just, but that isn’t required.
* Revenge is when you want hurt someone for hurting you. Justice is is stopping someone from hurting you
* Revenge will always be Revenge but justice is always on the winning side
* Government. If your with the gov, its justice, if your outside their control, its called revenge
* Justice is state sanctioned revenge.
* Justice originates from the cerebrum and affects society. Revenge originates from the limbic system and affects the individual. Marcus Aurelius put aside his personal pride for the greater good of his people by not sacrificing one of his generals after rumors of infidelity with his wife circulated. Had he sent this general to the front lines to be slaughtered by the enemy, that would have been vengeance and would have ‘benefited’ only himself. By treating his general as a valued asset for the defense of his people, he chose to spare him that fate which benefitted his people.
* Man is incapable of creating justice. Man is capable of inflicting revenge
* Justice is just whereas revenge isn’t.
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius Antoninus
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