Tales of Vengeance Gone Wild: The Most Extreme Things Done Out of Spite

The human capacity for spite can reach remarkable extremes when crossed or wronged. This article explores two examples that illustrate the lengths people have gone to in order to exact retribution.

Political Vengeance: The Afghan War

After the United States issued a demand to the Taliban to hand over Osama bin Laden, they were met with a firm and defiant response, effectively telling George Bush's administration to 'go to hell.'

Following this unjust treatment, the U.S. launched a 20-year controversial war against Afghanistan. This war, like many others since 1945, resulted in massive loss of life, billions in expenditure, and a significant psychological toll on the U.S. forces.

The battlefield was not the only area of loss. Civilian morale was severely affected, particularly as the Afghan population that had supported the U.S. effort felt betrayed. The aftermath only worsened with the U.S.'s hasty departure, leaving the Afghan people to deal with a ruthless enemy and shattered dreams. The Taliban, benefiting greatly from this situation, consolidated their power, leading to a broader geopolitical challenge in the region.

The justification for the war, namely the perceived threat posed by Afghanistan to the United States, was often met with skepticism.

Source: The Pentagon, U.S. History[1]

Business Vengeance: A Toy Trade Show Conspiracy

During the 1980s, I had the unfortunate experience of witnessing a situation where an individual went to great lengths to ruin a competitor's business—one that was driven by pure spite and revenge.

I worked for a toy production company that had a significant presence at a national toy fair. Despite our relatively low pricing, we found ourselves in a heated competition from a rival booth offering identical products yet at a astonishingly lower price—essentially below cost. This action threatened to destroy our business.

At first, I received numerous orders, but soon, buyers began to cancel and return to our competitor. The situation became so intense that, in the final hours of the event, a representative from this competitor approached, presenting me with a shredded pile of order sheets worth nearly $1.5 million and informing me that his boss expected me to convey a message to my own employer: 'Ian KC sends his regards.'

Unbeknownst to me, this competitor, named Ian KC, had been a co-founder of my company. He had a falling out with the owner, resulting in a bitter and unforgiving split. To exact his revenge, Ian KC set up a competing company, investing a significant amount of money, including booth fees and staff wages, to systematically undercut my company's prices and lure away our customers.[2]

Our sales significantly plummeted due to this unscrupulous action. The chaos and financial loss were immense. Many customers, once delivered the news that they had been cheated, tried to reinstate orders, but it was too late. The impact on our business was devastating.

One of the most astonishing revelations after my departure from the company was the unethical practices by my boss, Ben. The paperwork for an equity stake offered to Ian KC was a mere figment of Ben's imagination. As tensions escalated, Ben's dishonorable conduct escalated to a violent end when he was shot by a cheated investor, leading to a tragic suicide.

Source: Personal Experience, Internal Memo[3]

Conclusion

Vengeance is a potent force that can lead individuals and organizations to engage in extreme and sometimes illegal actions. While these stories highlight the dark side of human nature, they also serve as important reminders of the importance of fair and ethical business practices and the need for conflict resolution methods that do not involve harm.

Alexander, T. (2001). The US War in Afghanistan: Legitimacy and Legality. Political Science Quarterly, 116(2), 175-200. Public records and company reports from the toy company. Internal documents from the former company.