In most cases, forgiveness stems from the concept of equity although it generally never  ends in an equal exchange. Forgiveness often means conforming to benevolent ideas, resulting in a shortchange of one of the parties involved. Additionally, forgiveness is frequently grouped in with the ideas of an institutional pardon, or the lessening of the consequences associated with whatever one did to have to be forgiven. Important to remember is that forgiveness is something completely distinct from absolution, and doesn’t always have to result in an equitable outcome for it to be considered forgiveness. 

Forgiveness holds a value that reaches far beyond the scope of equity. In our society, forgiveness is conceptually linked with acceptance, as well as the resolution of any given situation. Society holds the idea that forgiveness shows a sense of maturity that comes with the “traditionally” benevolent ideas associated with forgiveness. Many believe that the ability to forgive directly shows the release of resentment and lessens the grip that the situation holds in your life. On the other hand, forgiveness can commonly root from societal pressures and other factors that have very little impact on the equitability in the world. The stance held by many on forgiveness has been passed through generations, very often through the practice of religion. As a result, forgiveness carries positive undertones, and often works out better for the victim in the situation. My stance is heavily influenced by the idea that unilateral forgiveness inherently makes the world less equitable, and promotes the ideas that controversial actions shouldn’t be accompanied by appropriate consequences. 

Throughout the course of my life I’ve often stumbled upon sayings that have deeply resonated with me while educating myself on the world and particularly, interactions that require forgiveness. For example, “Forgive but don’t forget” has commonly come up whether in social environments or while studying in the classroom. There is no need to deeply analyze this phrase at all, and the meaning is fairly straightforward. Forgiveness is so much more broad than people make it out to be, and doesn’t in any way call for the exoneration of one of the parties involved. Moreover, you can forgive someone without them ever having made a genuine effort to come to terms with you, and you should not be socially pressured into forgiving someone through the fundamental thought process that it will make you feel better. Like most everything in life, forgiveness has two sides of the coin. Equity means recognizing scientific facts that all humans are created equal and actively attempting to create a just world for everyone and everything. Consequently, in my eyes equity is distinct from the concept of forgiveness because although the two are commonly linked from an institutional perspective, we rarely see people get what they deserve in our society. Equally important to mention is the fact that to this day, systemic and racial barriers play a huge role in the process of forgiveness, directly impacting the progression of an equitable exchange in actions that lead to consequences. 

In conclusion, forgiveness is a wonderful practice that any individual that wants to can partake in. From the teachings of the Bible written over 2000 years ago, and the conceptual idea that every human needs to seek forgiveness for their maldoings, different interpretations and experiences can have a direct impact on what forgiveness may look like for any given situation. In my eyes, if someone wrongs you, whether intentional or not, forgiveness is often the most equitable practice to turn to. Nevertheless, this in no way means that equity is affected by whether or not someone forgives or carries a grudge. Equity is a societal factor that common people have very little control over. As a result, forgiveness doesn’t mean a more equitable world for me.