This transforms the natural desire for revenge into an opportunity for character development. When someone wrongs us, our instinct might be to retaliate in kind - meeting rudeness with rudeness, dishonesty with dishonesty, or cruelty with cruelty. But this approach makes us more like the person who hurt us, diminishing our own character in the process. Marcus suggests a different kind of revenge: maintaining our integrity and values regardless of others' behavior. This preserves our self-respect, often has a more powerful impact than direct retaliation, and sometimes even inspires better behavior in others. It's a victory that enhances rather than corrupts our character.