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"Life isn't fair. Get used to it." Bill Gates
I shared this quote the other day on Twitter, noting that it seemed a bit cynical to me. I immediately received an RT from someone who didn't think it was cynical - it was the truth. Life isn't fair. More people agreed - and frankly, I was shocked.
I kinda pushed back and one person responded using the earthquake in Haiti as an example that life is not fair - and how could anyone think it was?
I think life is fair.
Before you jump to the assumption I've never had anything bad happen to me so of course life's fair - think again. I've had more than my share of ugliness - sickness, death, betrayal and just plain horrible stuff. But I still think life is fair in the balance of all things.
But then, it does depend on how you define 'fair', now doesn't it?
* If 'fair' means that everyone gets exactly what they want all the time - then the world probably isn't fair.
* Or is 'fair' getting what you want part of the time -with a few tough times thrown in as reasonable balance?
* Does fair apply as a balance across the populace or is it just about our own personal experience of fairness?
* What if something you think is fair is actually perceived as unfair by someone else? What's fair then?
So when is life 'fair'?
Life surely seemed fair when we were on a roll.
Think about life during the boom years. Money was flowing, everyone was enjoying the BIG upside and life was viewed as fair by most. In the Silicon Valley life was REALLY fair. We bought houses using options that wouldn't vest for six or more years. We knew life was fair and we'd be rewarded like everyone else in the valley. (I'd like to note: that popular home buying trend wasn't exactly a secure or sensible way to take on big debt.)
Today, life isn't viewed as fair in the Valley. Those homes are going into foreclosure, the big dollar salaries for folks with minimal experience have vanished. You can hear the protests all around that life just isn't fair!
I'm not saying that times right now are not tough for a lot of folks. I know they are. But - is that 'unfair' or simply a balance to the over the top 'fairness' we enjoyed five years ago?
What about Human responsibility for fairness?
I also believe that acts of Humanity influence our collective energy - and the fairness of our lives. Wall Street was a great example of that. Those leaders did things that were beyond unfair - and their actions brought a wide spread, and unfair, impact to our economy. Does that mean life isn't fair? Seems to me a select few brought that unfairness on all of us.
Tomorrow I'll share my own personal beliefs about fairness - and our power to create our lives.
In the meantime, what do you think about life and fairness? I want to know - because I only have my own answer - and I'd love to hear yours!
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