Prof Craig Jackson, a professor of occupational health psychology at Birmingham City University, responds to Polly Hudson's article extolling the benefits of holding grudges for sanity and self-esteem. Jackson argues that while holding grudges can be an elegant art form, it also reveals the amount of self-regard one possesses.
Commitment and Fatigue
Jackson notes that the commitment required for a grudge can be a marathon effort, involving extra work, mileage, expense, inconvenience, and missing out—all in the name of valuing one's own worth. This is tiring for the grudge-holder and even more so for others caught up in it. The grudge can also be futile if the target remains unaware.
Deciding Whom to Target
According to Jackson, the formation of decisions about whom to develop a grudge against is equally important. This can be a form of holding the line against a world that has become increasingly difficult to navigate. The rise of apps and the decline of customer service means shops and services that fail to add to our quest for convenience become the focus of ire and boycotts.
Low-Level Narcissistic Injury
Jackson describes how low-level narcissistic injury can lead people to move through the world seeking out those who they perceive have slighted them, taking it personally and adding them to a list of grudge targets. This behavior, he suggests, is a sign of the amount of self-regard one has.
