Vox Tablet

Why Do We Want Revenge?

In Payback: The Case for Revenge, law professor Thane Rosenbaum considers our desire for vengeance

April 16, 2013
Mel Gibson in a scene from the film Braveheart.(20th Century Fox/Getty Images)
Mel Gibson in a scene from the film Braveheart.(20th Century Fox/Getty Images)

In the wake of horrific crimes, there is a mantra from politicians, lawyers, and victims: They don’t want revenge, they say; they just want justice. Thane Rosenbaum, a novelist, essayist, and professor at Fordham Law School, says a distinction between the two is both disingenuous and misguided. In his new book, Payback: The Case for Revenge, Rosenbaum argues that the modern American judicial system in fact needs an injection of Old-Testament-style vengeance. From the killing of Osama Bin Laden to popular films like Munich and Braveheart, Rosenbaum highlights the contradiction between our desire for vengeance and our public disavowal of that desire. In a conversation with Tablet Magazine’s Bari Weiss, he made his case. [Running time: 23:42.]

Your browser does not support the audio element.

Vox Tablet is Tablet Magazine’s weekly podcast, hosted by Sara Ivry and produced by Julie Subrin. You can listen to individual episodes here or subscribe on iTunes.

More Vox Tablet
See all
→︎