“Hate begets hate, ill will begets ill will. Very often in our relationships, this spirit of retaliation breeds only more violence and more antagonism.”
— J. Krishnamurti
You have a friend who speaks without thinking when she gets angry (which is often). Sometimes, her words hurt you or embarrass you in public. To teach her a lesson, you pay her back in the same coin. When she gets upset about it, you say, “Now you know how I feel!”
What will it achieve? Will she change her behavior? If anything, she’s going to become angrier because her own friend turned on her.
Likewise, if you pick a fight with a stranger on social media because he’s dissing your favorite musician, will it make him see your perspective? Or will his words become coarser?
Bitterness cannot make relationships better. An eye for an eye only makes the whole world blind. This means when we imitate the kind of behavior we condemn, when we try to get even or teach them a lesson, we contribute to the collective blindness.
It’s better to let your actions create a positive influence. If you value calmness in your surroundings, stay calm. If you want to encourage people to think for themselves, speak thoughtfully. If you’re all for following one’s passion, follow your passion.
If hate begets hate and ill will begets ill will, it’s natural that love and compassion will beget love and compassion.