I’ve said it before¹⁷ and I’ll say it again. There are many times when it’s OK to state what your feelings are, but not OK to enact them. I know this is simple to say and really difficult to live up to. I do appreciate that it’s tough, but you can do it. It takes a simple shift of vision, from being the sort of person who acts in a certain way, to being a different sort of person who acts in a different sort of way. Look, no matter how rough it gets you are never going to:

• take revenge
• act badly
• be very, very angry
• hurt anyone
• act without thinking
• act rashly
• be aggressive.

That’s it, the bottom line. You are going to maintain the moral high ground at all times. You are going to behave honestly, decently, kindly, forgivingly, nicely (whatever that means) no matter what the provocation. No matter what the challenge thrown at you. No matter how unfairly another behaves. No matter how badly they behave. You will not retaliate. You will carry on being good and civilised and morally irreproachable. Your manners will be impeccable, your language moderate and dignified. There is nothing they can say or do that will make you deviate from this line.

Yes, I know it’s difficult at times. I know when the rest of the world is behaving appallingly and you have to carry on taking it on the chin without giving in to your desire to floor them with a savage word, it’s really, really tough. When people are being horrid to you it’s natural to want to get your own back and lash out. Don’t. Once this rough time has passed you’ll be so proud of yourself for keeping the moral high ground that it will taste a thousand times sweeter than revenge ever would.

I know revenge is tempting, but you won’t go there. Not now, not ever. Why? Because if you do you’ll be sinking to their level, you’ll be at one with the beasts instead of the angels (see Rule 66), because it demeans you and cheapens you, because you will regret it, and lastly because if you do, then you’re no Rules player. Revenge is for losers. Taking and keeping the moral high ground is the only way to be. It doesn’t mean you’re a pushover or a wimp. It just means that any action you do take will be honest and dignified and clean.