"Life Isn't Fair"

[chaoticidealism]

When people say, "Life isn't fair," they're implying that you should expect things to be unfair--i.e., that expecting them to be fair is not logical because they usually aren't. Basically, it's an encouragement to either pessimism or realism

Comments

[old_cutter_john]

"Is it, 'Life isn't fair, so we should team up and make it as fair as we possibly can,' or is it, 'Life isn't fair, so grab what you can and to heck with other people'?"

Neither. The system of human rights violations known as the Soviet Union was a collective reaction against the unfairness of the czarist regime. My reading of history tells me that all collective attempts to enforce fairness lead in that direction.

I try to treat people well. Alone.

[chaoticidealism]

There's a big difference between voluntary cooperation and enforced cooperation. Communism failed because it was enforced; and since the only way to create communism in a large number of people is to enforce it, this system is inefficient and should be dropped. On the other hand, voluntary cooperation, such as what happens every time you hold open a door, mentor a child, or help out at the church nursery, is very beneficial both to a society and to the people participating in it.

[ext_174713]

I like this post. It reminds me of something related to the "life isn't fair, so it's okay for me to do this unfair thing" attitude.

I've seen people suggest bullying in school should be overlooked, or even encouraged, because "it will toughen them up for real life."

Now, setting aside for the moment that often this kind of thing can traumatize people - that's a pretty far cry from "toughening up" I think - this strikes me very much related to the "life isn't fair" thing. "People are going to be jerks, so we should let people be jerks to prepare others for people being jerks"? Seems very self-fulfilling to me. Instead of trying to teach people to be better to each other, which might actually provide some modicum of long-term benefit...?

I don't know if I explained my thought right. I hope this makes sense.