The great Alfred Hitchcock once said, “Revenge is sweet and not fattening.” However, there are moments when biting back can also end an ongoing conflict. This is what happened in today’s story.  

Reddit user UrameshiYuusuke had been constantly harassed by his little brother. The last straw came when his younger sibling stole all his money and refused to apologize. 

Fed up and wanting to draw the line, he got back at his younger brother using his biggest phobia. His plan worked, as he has not been pestered since then.

Taking the high road is always the mature thing to do

Image credits: Spoopybih (not the actual photo)

However, the original poster deemed it necessary to get back at his younger brother for stealing his money

Image credits: Karolina Kaboompics (not the actual photo)

His revenge plot worked, and his younger brother never bothered him again

Image credits: UrameshiYuusuke

Exacting revenge can lead to long-term regret

The original poster seemed completely satisfied with his actions. However, experts say that most people tend to feel regret in the long run. Here’s an analogy from Virginia Commonwealth University psychology professor Dr. David Chester: 

“It’s more similar to an orgasm in terms of being a pleasurable, hedonistic experience in the moment,” he told Well And Good. 

“Your nice little buzz or heightened positive affect fades fast. But the negative emotions, which were also heightened when you were hurting the person, will stick around and are quite durable.”

For Dr. Chester, the consequences of getting payback bear more weight, even with a seemingly “Hollywood ending.” 

“Taking revenge does not free you from the act that provoked you in the first place. Instead, it actually cements it deeper, leading you to ruminate more about it and opening you up to more suffering and consequences.”

Image credits: Scott Webb (not the actual photo)

However, retaliation also has an upside

According to University of Miami evolutionary psychologist Michael McCullough, revenge could have a useful purpose, especially in a hostile environment. 

“If you have a reputation for someone who is going to seek retribution, people are not going to mess with you or take advantage,” he told BBC. 

McCullough sees revenge as an urge that needs satisfying, similar to when we quench our thirst by having a drink. 

“The individual who responds to that harm is going to do better than the individual who takes the slap on the cheek and lets the bad guy have his way,” he said. 

In the story above, the original poster was indeed in a much more favorable spot after getting back at his younger brother.  

Image credits: Priscilla Du Preez (not the actual photo)

Most commenters lauded the original poster and even offered suggestions

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