According to Genghis Khan:

"The greatest happiness is to scatter your enemy, to drive him before you,
to see his cities reduced to ashes, to see those who love him shrouded in tears, and to gather into your bosom his wives and daughters."

The dowmfall of our adversaries should not constitute a personal satisfying experience so long as it arises from discord and their misfortune.

The way to this is much more subtle than a beatdown. Just succeed--remain optimistic, do well in your classes, make friends, graduate, grab your career, marry a compassionate and caring spouse, raise a family, have expendable income, and a clean police record. Then, your enemy will have been defeated. Of course, if this is meant in a broader term--like the defeat of the sadistic Saddam Hussein by the Coalition, for instance, then the downfall of a villain is certainly satisfying--in some cases, for millions of people!

I had some moron in the Marines I couldn't stand. We came up for promotion and I got it while he did not. It was enough for me that he had to stand in formation and watch me get promoted, but the fact that he would look down at the floor like a scalded dog every time I looked at him after that promotion was even better.

Things do not always go as you have planned. For a long time I had to tolerate someone who cheated me because the situation was one of those where I was helpless to do anything about it. Eventually things changed and I saw my opportunity to slam dunk him.....send him groveling at my feet.....a complete and total victory and vindication. But before that could happen the bastard cheated me one more time. He died.

It's hard not to snicker when an enemy gets what's coming to him. But sometimes I feel a little sorry for them too.

Well, why are they your "enemy"? Because you don't like the guy? Or because they're truly a bad person? Yeah, if someone was thwarted from doing something horrible to someone else, I'd feel relieved. But gloating over someone's punishment because I don't like the person doesn't make much sense. There was this girl I worked with for a little while. She made it pretty clear that she didn't like me all too much (I wouldn't call her my "enemy", just someone who wasn't too fond of me. I just figured "oh well", and just went on with my day. I'm not quite sure why she didn't like me, but I figure that not everyone in the world has to like me, so there's no point in worrying about it). One day, she was on her way out, and she said "Try to have a good weekend". It was a strange way of putting things. I said "Thanks", but mentioned that I'd hardly have to "try" to have a good weekend; the weather was supposed to be great, and my birthday was that weekend. She turned to me and started crying, saying she was "no longer employed" with the company. This came as quite a shock; she seemed to be one of the most competant people there, knowledgeable and good at what she did. I still can't figure out why they let her go. I don't think she deserved it. I gave her a hug, and that's the last I saw of her. There's no satisfaction in seeing someone suffer unfairly, even if they weren't nice to you. You might think you'd feel that justice was done, you might feel better thinking about someone "getting what's coming to them", but when it actually happens, you'd have to be a really hateful and spiteful person to gain satisfaction from seeing someone else be treated unfairly.

It all depends on the enemy. If the enemy is the devil and his demons, this would be a really satisfying experience, or an oppressive and corrupt empire eg the Roman empire. Or seeing a person who is dangerous to the community being put into jail. But if it is just some personal enemy, then this is not satisfying, especially in light of the fact that God hates us getting revenge and commands us not to get revenge, and to love our enemies. The best way to defeat your enemies is by being good to them. Because giving your enemy a drink or food when they ask for it is like pouring hot coals onto their head. Revenge is a dish best served - not at all!