Day 189: The Avengers

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July 7, 2012 by Alex Hoekstra

I count myself lucky for having gone through life so far without being seriously damaged.  At least, according to me.  Sure, I’ve been lied to and betrayed, hit hard, sometimes below the belt (emotionally speaking); I’ve been hurt before and felt lousy, unimportant, worthless and pissed off, sometimes all at once.  Somehow, someway, though, I seem to recover.  I push through it because I know I’m worth more (to the universe overall, but especially to myself) when I’m on my feet, rather than curled up feeling bad, sad, mad or sorry for myself.  Getting stabbed in the back isn’t fun, but I’ve learned how to pull the knife out, cast it aside and carry the scar as a lesson and a reminder while I move ahead and try to be stronger and smarter than to go through life in the company of any more knife-throwers.  I’ll admit, though, the notion of turning that knife around and claiming bloody justice in a tit for tat reaction is a strong one.  Sometimes, it might even be healthy.  Closure, you know? I’m not saying I advocate violent reprisal, but if you’re not content to let the universe exact cosmic, karmic justice at some unknown juncture in this life or some other, that second wrong might feel so, so right.  Today’s project is about revenge.

Erica has been wronged.  Not just once, either.  She’s been keeping score and with the help of her friends and a camera, she’s poised to even the score with everyone who’s got it coming.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/897202754/whats-revenge-the-worlds-first-docu-vengeance

More than a venturesome attempt to get back at these men in Erica’s life, we are conducting a formal experiment about the idea of revenge itself. What does getting revenge feel like? Can we really get another person to feel the way we did — and to perceive the situation in the same way? If this is achieved, what happens next? Catharsis? A new perspective? Closure? Maybe all of it. Maybe nothing.

Revenge is inherently personal.  I can’t say it’s a feeling I know well (and thankfully so), but I can relate to those who can’t sleep soundly at night knowing that there are bastards out there in the world getting away with whatever it is they’re bastards for.  Action and reaction.  Cause and effect.  Hopefully things just don’t get out of control…either way, I’m interested enough to tune in.  Help Erica complete her stories, and join in an exploration of what it means to be avenged by backing this film on Kickstarter before July 13.