Don’t you just hate it when you try to do something good for a person and it backfires stupendously, thanks to that person being a total pain in the nether regions? Then again, it is incredibly satisfying when karma comes back with good force, giving an entertaining show for all those worthy of witnessing it.

Welp, this story has a bit of both – sad realities and happy revenge intertwine. Redditor Xerzajik shared just how he got revenge on a fellow landlord berating him over the phone whilst looking for information about his previous tenant. Unbeknownst to him, the tenant was one sent from hell. Let’s get into it!

Sometimes people act so rude and entitled towards others, it can’t be helped that revenge comes their way

Image credits: Lobachad (not the actual photo)

This person shared their story of getting back at a rude landlord asking about their previous tenant

Image credits: LightFieldStudios (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Xerzajik

People tend to reciprocate each other’s behavior, be it niceness or rudeness

Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio not the actual photo)

‘What goes around, comes around’ is a very common saying that a lot of us tend to forget the meaning of whilst we’re going about our business in our day-to-day lives. Now, that doesn’t mean that each and every action will have a consequence, but the odds do not favor that likelihood.

If we refer back to OP’s story, the landlord may have evaded a nightmare tenant with a history of costing the homeowner thousands of dollars in repairs, had he just been a little nicer. As discussed in the study by Bradley T. Hughes and colleagues, people tend to reciprocate each other’s behavior. In simple terms – if you’re nice, you’re more likely to receive niceness in return. Easy!

Interestingly enough, the same works for negative influences too; if you’re being nasty to someone, expect to receive some of that back to you. It may not be a direct confrontation, as we saw in this story, but rather an ingenious bit of petty revenge that is sure to remind you of your negative actions.

Wishing karmic justice to those who have harmed us is very human, though not necessarily right

Image credits: Nathan Cowley (not the actual photo)

There is a very human notion that we wish to see more of – bad things happening to bad people. Sadly, the notions of good or bad don’t necessarily work the same in the universe as they do on our mortal plane. Regardless, we want to see karmic justice being delivered to those who have harmed us in one way or another. Some even take it a step further and become the justice they want to see in the world.

Although there may be dozens of potential roads to take and scenarios to experience regarding one situation or another, the notion of schadenfreude, or the pleasure derived from another person’s misfortune, is an interesting one to look into. According to Karin Akre of Encyclopedia Britannica, schadenfreude has been shown to occur in people as young as two years old.

Just because it’s very human, doesn’t make it necessarily right. As Karin states, the intensity of schadenfreude can become extreme and problematic, especially in people with low empathy or self-esteem. Martina E. Faulkner, who looks closer at the karmic laws, argues that it’s never good to wish negativity onto anyone else – what you reap, you will (eventually) sow.

Does that make it okay to allow yourself to be treated like a doormat? Absolutely not. Should you leave the judging to divine beings and universal energies? Who knows. The discussion of these topics is never-ending, which makes them evermore so interesting to delve into. Besides, a little petty revenge that acts as a minor inconvenience can’t hurt all that much, can it? It certainly left OP and the readers of this story quite satisfied.

OP offered up some more information in the comments

People shared their views on the story, offering up potential solutions and their own similar experiences

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