Nobody Likes an Arsonist

"Hold tight wait till the party's over, hold tight we're in for nasty weather, there has got to be a way..." Burning Down the House, Talking Heads

Deciding not to burn someone's house down is very freeing, even if they really deserve it. Usually it's the better decision to make, if for no other reason than stress reduction - knowing that you will soon be inconvenienced with such things as creating an alibi, making sure you don't leave any evidence, etc... it can wind you up a bit.

The easing of the burden is a lot like getting good news, which is strange and I guess ironic, because it is also good news for the person who's house you're not burning down - so it's also bad news for you. So in that respect, you're only solace is in the fact that they don't know that they should be happy. Such is life.

It's nothing like, say, punching someone in the nose. That's a bit more direct and confrontational, and the results are typically more immediate. But mostly it's only good for a night or two in jail, which keeps risk low so it isn't that big of a deal. It doesn't take as much dedication, so the payoff is less meaningful. Of course, on the flip side, nobody likes an arsonist.