Cycle of Cruelty

Following their first act of cruelty came others to keep them dominant over those they had injured, fearful always of retaliation. Over time there were only more and more cruel acts, more people injured and so more vengeance to fear. They needed with each act to feel increased justification for what they had done, and their fear turned injured people to a thread against which they must be vigilant and pre-emptive in their attacks. They blamed victims for being angry, pressing the repression more tightly, and so compressing and solidifying the rage. Where retaliation did seep out it seemed a massive dose of new cruelty was the only remedy considered, and so the cycle spun faster with less likelihood it could be controlled.