The Why Factor

Revenge


Listen Later

The desire for vengeance – to harm those who’ve harmed you - is part of human nature. Whether it’s getting your own back on a cheating partner or settling a score with a childhood bully, many of us have considered retribution against the person who’s done us wrong. Yet often we decide not to act on that instinct.

So what motivates someone to take revenge and why did this kind of aggressive behaviour evolve? Mike Williams talks to a perpetrator who found it sweet and hears the tragic story of a victim of impossibly cruel revenge.

Contributors:

“Annie”, who took revenge
Michael McCullough, Professor of Psychology, Miami University
Dr David Chester, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University
Sarah Heatley, mother of Nina and Jack
Philippe Sands QC, International Human Rights lawyer and author, East West Street
Professor Jack Levin, Co-Director, Brudnick Center on Violence and Conflict, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts

Presenter: Mike Williams

Producer: Sally Abrahams

(Photo: White Voodoo doll with red pins on cork background. Credit: Shutterstock/Scott Rothstein)

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Why FactorBy BBC World Service

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

182 ratings


More shows like The Why Factor

View all
In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,389 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,839 Listeners

Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,886 Listeners

This American Life by This American Life

This American Life

90,819 Listeners

CIPD by CIPD

CIPD

18 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,791 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,052 Listeners

Luke's ENGLISH Podcast - Learn British English with Luke Thompson by Luke Thompson

Luke's ENGLISH Podcast - Learn British English with Luke Thompson

663 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

962 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,921 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,078 Listeners

Curious Cases by BBC Radio 4

Curious Cases

823 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

111,562 Listeners

The Bonfire with Big Jay Oakerson and Robert Kelly by SiriusXM

The Bonfire with Big Jay Oakerson and Robert Kelly

3,628 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

2,964 Listeners