One of my abusers has aggressive parents who are very strict and wake them up at 4 a.m. every day, and neither of them have very many friends nor boyfriends which they desperately want and are lonely. Should I feel bad despite how they treated me?

  • cerebralhawks@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    4 days ago

    Honestly living well and not thinking about them at all is the best revenge you can enjoy. Just put them out of your mind and focus on other people. Worrying about them doesn’t do you any good, even if they aren’t doing well.

  • Mac@mander.xyz
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    4 days ago

    Hate will destroy your soul. It will creep in, feeling good, like drugs. Hate makes you feel righteous, vindicated—it’s a powerful poison. You will become addicted and it will slowly work it’s way into your mindset until you hate everything and everyone.

    Practice empathy.

  • spittingimage@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    You don’t have to feel bad for people who’ve wronged you. I’d say your only obligation is to uphold your values so you won’t regret your behaviour later on.

  • SirSamuel@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    Do not hold on to hate. Don’t pay an emotional price on people who don’t care about you

    Do not feel guilt about other people suffering the consequences of their own actions. Don’t pay an emotional price on people who don’t care about you

    Have empathy for the injustices others face. It helps you let go of hate

    You are responsible for how you respond to your environment. They are responsible for themselves. They chose to respond to abuse by abusing others. You can perpetuate that cycle or stop it. Treat them the way you wish to be treated. Do so knowing they owe you a social debt for their abuse, and do not put yourself at risk while treating them with fairness

    Do these things and you will be at peace with yourself and others.

    • TheDoozer@lemmy.world
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      4 days ago

      Have empathy for the injustices others face. It helps you let go of hate

      This is a big one, though I have a more nuanced view.

      “That is a fucked up thing and shouldn’t happen to anyone. I couldn’t give two shits about that person in particular because they’re a piece of shit, but what is happening to them is unacceptable.”

      That’s how I feel about bad shit happening to horrible people in prison. A serial rapist gets raped in prison? Unacceptable. It shouldn’t be allowed, and everyone responsible should be held to account. However, I lack the necessary empathy to feel for that serial rapist. I try, but there’s a lot of people out there suffering more who did nothing or less that I should care about, and I have a limited amount of care. Doesn’t mean I’m okay woth prison rape, though.

  • celeste@kbin.earth
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    4 days ago

    You never have to feel a particular way. If anyone says you have to feel bad, or that you shouldn’t feel bad if you do, they’re wrong. Not how feelings work. Some people feel better knowing that their abusers are shit because their folks are shit, and it had very little to do with you, other than your convenience as a victim when they wanted to hurt someone. But what you feel just is.

    I try to just look at what I’m feeling, and accept it, without judgement. Don’t turn away, but don’t dwell. It makes it easier to decide reasonable action later. Not detached from emotion (impossible) but understanding it as a part and not the entirety of behavior, where right and wrong start to come into play.

  • Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works
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    4 days ago

    You shouldn’t knock yourself whether you feel sorry for them or you’re more inclined to gloat. What’s important is that you stay away from them and out of the situation entirely. This is for your own safety, sanity, and well being. Which, if you don’t look out for you, who will? Certainly not them.

  • redlemace@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    What goes around comes around…karma is real…

    But then again, it’s kind of you you can feel sorry for them. Please realize their problem is not yours to solve. To me it Sounds like your too kind and they will take advatage of that.