There are some people you never wish death upon, but when death eventually finds them, you realise you are not sad either.
That was the unsettling position one Malaysian found themselves in after learning that two people who allegedly bullied them had died.
In a Threads post, the individual shared that one of the people who allegedly bullied them during university had recently passed away.
Several months earlier, they also learnt that another person who allegedly bullied them during an internship had died after reportedly being hit by a car.
Then came another unexpected encounter.
The individual claimed they happened to cross paths with yet another former bully at a hospital, where the latter was dealing with their father being in critical condition.
‘Why do I feel calm?’
Despite the tragedies, the individual admitted that sadness was not the emotion that surfaced.
Instead, they felt strangely relieved.
Why do I feel calm? Why do I feel like, ‘Good, two less bullies in the world’? Why?” they wrote.
The confession quickly sparked mixed reactions online, particularly over whether victims should be expected to forgive the people who once hurt them.
One commenter, who said they had also experienced bullying in the past, shared that they eventually forgave those involved and made peace with what happened.
They encouraged the individual to do the same and move forward.
However, not everyone agreed.
“Easier said than done. Plus, not everyone can be forgiven,” one commenter wrote.
Another argued that just because one victim was able to let go did not mean everyone else should be expected to do the same.
‘You didn’t cause any of this’
Others pointed out that the Malaysian had not actually caused any of the tragedies.
One commenter said there was no reason for them to feel overly guilty, as they were not responsible for the accident or the family member’s critical condition.
Another brought up the term “schadenfreude”, which refers to feeling satisfied or pleased when someone else experiences misfortune.
Some users also described the incidents as “karma” or “kifarah”, while others simply said the Malaysian’s reaction was understandable considering what they had allegedly gone through.
One commenter noted that feeling relieved was different from actively wishing death or harm upon someone.
M’sian Man Who Bullied His Classmates Back Then Now Struggles With Stroke & No One Has Forgiven Him
