How glorious it feels to hold a grudge. How satisfying and self-indulgent. A true grudge is not about bitterness, hatred, vengeance or anger. Nor is it a feeling that demands action or a solution. Rather, it is the smug pleasure of knowing that you’re entitled to feel wronged—a privately held insight into another person’s flaws. It is also, importantly, an emotional shield—a slight lowering of expectations that immunizes you against being disappointed again. According to author Sophie Hannah, holding personal grudges can be constructive. In November, she is launching a self-help book dashing the conventional wisdom that grudges are unhealthy, and that functional people always “forgive and forget.” How to Hold a Grudge: From Resentment to Contentment, the Power of Grudges to Transform Your Life includes an “anthology of grudges”—such as a man who stood in line for hours in the rain to see a James Bond film for which tickets had This story is from Kinfolk Issue Twenty-Nine Buy Now Related Stories Arts & Culture Issue 44 Gross Profit The hidden help of disgusting things. Arts & Culture Issue 40 Fellow Feeling The pleasure of a stranger’s touch. Arts & Culture Issue 26 Beyond Reasonable Doubt Why being good at your job can leave you feeling like a fraud, and how to overcome it. Arts & Culture Issue 44 Hannah Traore The art world's next big thing is a gallerist. Arts & Culture Issue 44 The False Mirror Compositions inspired by the iconic clouds—and surrealist sensibilities—of René Magritte. Arts & Culture Issue 44 Boaz Nechemia Meet Jerusalem’s favorite weatherman.
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