Why is Life Never Fair Enough?

Alternate Title: Assuming that humanity is capable of existing in a “perfect” world might be a problem

I think this is one of those posts where I should start with a disclaimer. Especially because I can picture large amounts of spiritual/religious people, “science knows no bounds” believers, and optimists alike getting a little heated or dismissive based on my titles.

So without further ado…

Disclaimer

If you haven’t read the first post of this blog, I believe that the universe is chaotic and life is absurd (both in a good and bad way).

That being said, that’s my personal take on things and I am quite aware of that. So, if you disagree with this post, that’s perfectly fine. You’ll keep living life from your perspective and so will I. This is just something I desire to post for myself, without any expectation for others to relate.

[Occasionally, aMoI is less about connecting the dots and forming a working theory than it is about making a reminder for myself.]

Fair for who?

We’re aware that life is unfair. Bad things happen to good people. Sometimes horrible people get away with crimes. And regardless of how much you work and “deserve” something, rarely anything is guaranteed. [At least in this life, I can’t claim to know what happens after we die…]

That’s life. We try because we can and we know that doing something is often better than nothing (or so it appears). And we do this while knowing we can’t control everything.

So why do we fight to make the world fair?

And no, I’m not asking that about stuff like gender equality, basic education for all, the right to date whichever consenting adult you choose, or to just live a peaceful life without fear of malicious prosecution or worse.

No, I’m curious about why we, better yet, why I try over-and-over to make the world fair on a small scale. I wonder why considering that I’m just as hypocritical and limited to my personal perspective as the rest of humanity, that I still find myself regularly unraveling new ways in which trying to be “fair” pulls me down and disenfranchises me.

[Which is both strange and funny because I also think I’m quite apathetic, yet I attempt to be considerate of others regardless.]

I try to practice the whole “hope for the best, expect the worse” approach. And I do, “objectively” believe that my expectations are fairly low on average. This often leads me to think, “my bar is so low that the results should exceed it.”

And maybe that’s where I go wrong…

The thing is, regardless of what you do or think, there’s always going to come a time when someone or something disappoints you or outright does you wrong. It doesn’t matter how perfect of a world humanity carves for itself, it’s simply never going to be equal or enough for some. I dare say, it’s impossible for things to be so.

And do you know why?

Because everyone has a different perspective. We all focus on different things and have various desires, motives, and abilities. What comes easy to you, may arguably be impossible for me to accomplish. And what I desire or hope for, may oppose or just unnerve you even at your most accepting.

So, how could humanity make the world fair when we all have different expectations?

I guess there’s always a chance that humanity will somehow reach a point where we’re so innately aware of others’ struggles and potential circumstances (while effectively engaging in communication, self-awareness, and genuine understanding) that all those differences will no longer warrant any substantial concern or problems.

But, that day has not arrived. And I once again have found myself playing nice/slithering into my chameleon skin and being (perhaps) overwhelmingly agreeable.

And what this boils down to (or what has become a reoccurring thought) is that by trying to make the world fair (or perhaps just “sensible”) for others, I repeatedly act to make it less fair for me. Whatever may be the reason, I’m far too willing and capable of bettering someone else’s life and perception of humanity at the cost of my own.

And that’s definitely not fair for me.