This insight transforms the impulse for revenge into an opportunity for character development. Rather than lowering ourselves to match others' bad behavior, we can use their actions as inspiration to become better people. When someone treats us poorly, our natural response might be to retaliate in kind, but this only multiplies negativity and often makes us more like the person who hurt us. The 'revenge' Marcus suggests is maintaining our own standards, refusing to let others' choices diminish our character. This approach not only preserves our integrity but often has a more powerful impact than direct retaliation ever could.