This overused quote sounds clever, articulate, intelligent, and well thought out. Sorry Mister Ghandi it's nonsense! "An eye for an eye" means that your enemy, that inflicted pain on you, should have the same pain inflicted on him. If you do not retaliate and protect yourself, then the enemy will continue to inflict pain on you because you never make him pay for it, and he has no reason to stop. An eye for an eye is a perfectly good confrontation plan and policy. Human nature has shown that those who let themselves be bullied, intimidated or hurt, and don't properly respond to it, will be bullied again. They will just keep bullying. We have seen this in grade schools, middle schools, high schools, colleges, military, businesses, religions, cults, villages, towns, cities, nations, coalitions, allies, and within families. Those who aggressively defend themselves remove the motivation from the bully. It is no longer worthwhile for him to bother you.
Many people hear these clever quotes, and repeat them as gospel, and think that they can substitute these clever quotes for a well thought out argument. Before you repeat clever quotes make sure you know what they are really saying. Don't assume the quotes are correct, in most cases they are just clever meaningless word smithing and word play.
When somebody says: "An Eye For An Eye, Leaves The Whole World Blind", in response to a question about Bin Laden's death. What is the persons position on Bin Laden? We should have let him go free? Do they really think others will leave you alone if you don't defend yourself? They know human nature. If you don't retaliate you become a martyr who will suffer at the hands of the bully.
If it were up to me I would change the policy to "an eye for eyes", hit the enemy back twice as hard as he hit you. That will deter them from ever attacking again.
