I read a post from a friend. I have never meet this person just interacted with him on Facebook. I say friend because acquaintance implies having met the person, know what I mean? Well it's not important really I'm just trying to be clear. I only know what this person has shared with me online, and he only knows of me what I share. A friendship? Well whatever you wish to call it I believe we share some common beliefs. Friendship is based on commonality, wouldn't you say? My friends generally agree with my core values, although we may have different opinions on a variety of topics. But anyway, I read this post where he says life is unfair. I don't disagree, but it made me ask a question; if life is unfair, what is fair?
The dictionary says fair is in accordance with the rules or standards. Who makes the rules and standards? The answer has to be the society in which you live. Society however can only delineate what is considered right and wrong behaviors. But is that what defines life? Is your life " fair " if you follow all the rules? No, because we all feel that at least some of the rules are unfair. So if we follow those rules we would be unfair to ourselves. Still, fairness is marked by impartiality, honesty and is free from self-interest, prejudice or favoritism. So in order to be fair, we would have to be unfair to ourselves, at least sometimes and in some instances. Then we get into the realm of morality, and morality is always subjective. Being subjective it cannot be fair to everyone. Morality is self imposed restrictions on behavioral choices, in short, what is right and wrong.
Can government make life fair? Some would like to believe so. If we had a society where everyone got the same thing, regardless of any subjective outside influences, that would be fair, right? That is the goal of socialisms isn't it? The equal redistribution of wealth and property. No matter the highest producer gets exactly the same as the lowest producer, or indeed, the one that produces nothing at all. Is that fair? I don't believe anyone would agree to that. Strangely you hear proponents of just that, in the interest of being fair. Mostly from the lowest producers however, or those who perceive they aren't getting their fair share. Or from those wishing for a larger share with less effort on their part, like politicians for example.
Consider our current government (a constitutional republic ) as an example. Is it fair? Many people believe that it isn't, but reject any alternative form that we currently know. I did a quick Google search and found at least 44 alternative forms of government listed, many I admit I have never heard of. I admit that our current form of government isn't perfect, there are portions of the policy that are not fair. Social Security, In its' present form is unfair. Why? Because it is placing a burden on future generations that may or may not benefit from it. Is that fair? No, it isn't. The monies being collected are not invested, rather they are spent making the payments promised by the government. The only way future payments can be made, the promise honored, is if future generations contribute to the system. In essence, It's a Ponzi scheme. It pays ( profits ) benefits to earlier investors ( senior citizens ) with funds gained from more recent investors ( pay roll taxes ). Should those pay roll taxes cease, the whole scheme collapses. Is that fair? No, but it's the best we have at the moment.
Okay, so I think we can all agree that government can't make life fair. That leaves us with the question, what can? To answer that we have to answer the question, who controls your life? Are you solely in control of that, or can a God, or higher power intervene? Well now that is a completely subjective thing isn't it? I mean, no one can answer that for you, there is no right or wrong answer. No matter what your decision on that subject is, you will still have to live your life. What's worse, your life will be effected by the choices of others. Now is that fair? It is if you agree you affect how others choose to live their life. Turnabout is fair play, right? Or is it? An eye for an eye? Maybe life can only be fair if you aren't looking. Somebody will always have something better than you, if you allow that. Only you can make it fair! And that, is just unfair!
The dictionary says fair is in accordance with the rules or standards. Who makes the rules and standards? The answer has to be the society in which you live. Society however can only delineate what is considered right and wrong behaviors. But is that what defines life? Is your life " fair " if you follow all the rules? No, because we all feel that at least some of the rules are unfair. So if we follow those rules we would be unfair to ourselves. Still, fairness is marked by impartiality, honesty and is free from self-interest, prejudice or favoritism. So in order to be fair, we would have to be unfair to ourselves, at least sometimes and in some instances. Then we get into the realm of morality, and morality is always subjective. Being subjective it cannot be fair to everyone. Morality is self imposed restrictions on behavioral choices, in short, what is right and wrong.
Can government make life fair? Some would like to believe so. If we had a society where everyone got the same thing, regardless of any subjective outside influences, that would be fair, right? That is the goal of socialisms isn't it? The equal redistribution of wealth and property. No matter the highest producer gets exactly the same as the lowest producer, or indeed, the one that produces nothing at all. Is that fair? I don't believe anyone would agree to that. Strangely you hear proponents of just that, in the interest of being fair. Mostly from the lowest producers however, or those who perceive they aren't getting their fair share. Or from those wishing for a larger share with less effort on their part, like politicians for example.
Consider our current government (a constitutional republic ) as an example. Is it fair? Many people believe that it isn't, but reject any alternative form that we currently know. I did a quick Google search and found at least 44 alternative forms of government listed, many I admit I have never heard of. I admit that our current form of government isn't perfect, there are portions of the policy that are not fair. Social Security, In its' present form is unfair. Why? Because it is placing a burden on future generations that may or may not benefit from it. Is that fair? No, it isn't. The monies being collected are not invested, rather they are spent making the payments promised by the government. The only way future payments can be made, the promise honored, is if future generations contribute to the system. In essence, It's a Ponzi scheme. It pays ( profits ) benefits to earlier investors ( senior citizens ) with funds gained from more recent investors ( pay roll taxes ). Should those pay roll taxes cease, the whole scheme collapses. Is that fair? No, but it's the best we have at the moment.
Okay, so I think we can all agree that government can't make life fair. That leaves us with the question, what can? To answer that we have to answer the question, who controls your life? Are you solely in control of that, or can a God, or higher power intervene? Well now that is a completely subjective thing isn't it? I mean, no one can answer that for you, there is no right or wrong answer. No matter what your decision on that subject is, you will still have to live your life. What's worse, your life will be effected by the choices of others. Now is that fair? It is if you agree you affect how others choose to live their life. Turnabout is fair play, right? Or is it? An eye for an eye? Maybe life can only be fair if you aren't looking. Somebody will always have something better than you, if you allow that. Only you can make it fair! And that, is just unfair!
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