An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind!
This quote by Mahatma Gandhi means that if we seek revenge by harming others, we will end up hurting ourselves as well. It implies that retaliation, revenge or resentment only lead to a never-ending cycle of suffering and misery.
Imagine being chastised by a friend, coworker or your boss for something you did that didn’t meet their expectations. What would you do? Will you respond in a way that could lead to a heated argument or other conflict? Or would you simply accept the behavior to keep the relationship intact? Do you evaluate the desired effect of your reaction before acting on it? All of the options are practical, and many of us have used them in various circumstances. The key is to not allow your reactions to overshadow your responses.
Responding and reacting isn’t the same thing. Reactions are instant, reciprocal, or in opposition to a particular person or situation. Reaction could be positive or negative, depending on how you’re feeling. Technically, responding is also a reaction; however the former considers the desired outcome of the interaction. A reaction may result in a positive or negative outcome whereas a response is engineered to produce a positive or negative outcome. Reacting is emotional, responding is emotional intelligence.
This was a glimpse of Discussion Forum held on 21st October, 2023. The topic of discussion was “Tit for Tat”.
“But inevitably, when I can’t harm the people who harmed me, I just end up harming the people who love me.
– Nadia Bolz-Weber
