Ultimately, forgiveness is usually about one thing-"This is for me, not for you." Hatred is exhausting; forgiveness, or even just indifference, is freeing. To quote Booker T. Washington, "I shall allow no man to belittle my soul by making me hate him." Belittle and distort and consume. Forgiveness seems to be at least somewhat good for your health-victims who show spontaneous forgiveness, or who have gone through forgiveness therapy {as opposed to "anger validation therapy"} show improvements in general health, cardiovascular function, and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Chapter 14 explored how compassion readily, perhaps inevitably, contains elements of self-interest. The compassionate granting of forgiveness epitomizes this.41
( Robert M. Sapolsky )
[ Behave: The Biology of Humans ]
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