Rob's Surf Report

Is there really such a thing as fair and unfair?

What do you think? Is it fair to huge something as “fair” or “unfair”?

J. L. Urban, statue of Lady Justice at court b...
“I have a sword and a large book, and I’m not afraid to use either to shut you up if I hear the words ‘that’s not fair’ come out of your mouth.”  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You know what I really think is unfair? How guilty I feel when I think about things that are fair and unfair. I mean, someone might say, “that’s not fair!” Or they might espouse this feeling of fairness or unfairness about a given situation; but in reality, nothing is fair or unfair.

I mean that: nothing is fair or unfair. Everything simply is, and we assign values of fairness or unfairness depending on our opinions, given our circumstances and feelings either regarding the situation, or about the concept of fairness or unfairness itself. I am one of the latter camp; So why am I surprised to find that there are things that I find fair and unfair after all? I mean, that’s really personal.

Personally, I think it’s somewhat selfish to say fair unfair, especially at the disadvantage of another. I’m not saying that a person shouldn’t fight for their fair share, or try and get you know a fair deal; I’m not saying that all! But when you go, oh that’s not fair, how do you think you look to others?

That’s the kind of thing I worry about, and I try not to judge others, but I judge myself very harshly along those lines. I think that’s why it annoys me when they bring up the concept of fairness and unfairness. I could talk about the unfairness of having to work really hard to have children when other people seem to be able to pop them out like hot dogs from a sausage factory; I might say it’s unfair that I make a really good wage, and I still can’t seem to do much more than break even.

But is it really unfair? Or is it simply the situation, and something that I must deal with? The reality is frustrating, and I think that’s why it irks me to have to answer the question about what do I think is really unfair – because I can say it’s unfair all day long, and in reality it’s not. That would make me a liar.

I just can’t do it.

This post was prompted by today’s Daily Post prompt.

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22 comments

  5. Without getting complicated, when something is REALLY unfair, you know it. You don’t have to ponder, think, wonder if you’re making the right choice. You know.

    Reply

    • Well, I think maybe that’s when it crosses from merely unfair into injustice, then. It might be a fine line, but if it’s enough to inspire the kind of outrage that skips introspection, especially when I tend to consider these issues of fairness, it’s got to be outside of the fair/unfair circle.

      Reply

  9. Fairly simple, I’d say :). Fair is when you get what you deserve, good or bad. Unfair is when you don’t deserve what you get. Of course, the fairest of them all is Snow White …

    Reply

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