Coping with Revenge

We root for revenge plots in our tv shows (beware: House of the Dragon spoilers ahead!), appeal to a sense of karmic justice, hunt for it in celebrity narratives, and even fantasise about getting our own one day. This week, Alice Griffin and Jannah Anderson unpack the psychology of vengeance, why it feels so titillating, and whether the payoff is ever what we had hoped. Plus, why do we cheer louder when women and marginalised characters finally get their moment? A reminder that revenge stories often tell us more about our cultural hunger for balancing the scales than the act itself ever could. ☆ Are you a creative looking for support? Visit the or call the Support Act Wellbeing Helpline on 1800 959 500 for a free and confidential chat (and remember, you don't have to be in crisis to call). Sometimes you just need to talk to someone who actually gets it and can hear you out. ☆ House Of The Dragon, HBO The Complicated Psychology of Revenge by Eric Jaffe, Association For Psychological Science The Bittersweet Taste of Revenge: On the Negative and Positive Consequences of Retaliation by Fade R. Eadeh, Stephanie A. Peak, Alan J. Lambert Victim Blaming and Belief in Karma by Cindel J. M. White, Aiyana K. Willard Margaret Qualley Just Walked the Red Carpet in Chanel’s Viral Naked Sandals by Rosa Sanchez, Harper’s Bazaar reputation, Taylor Swift Want to support our show? We'd be so grateful if you hit 'follow' or left us a 5-star review so we can bring you more Coping content. Plus, you can follow along with us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pinterest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Find out more about what we're up to (and how you can get involved) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠copinginc.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.