This week @ecotrain has a very typical Question of the Week to answer: Is Life Fair? It's such a simple question that you'd wonder how one could even write a whole post around it. But then, as you think about it for just a bit, it turns out to be way more profound and complex than it seemed at first. So here is my pondering on this topic:
Life Is Not Fair, Period.
So yeah, it didn't take a lot to give a clear, straight forward answer. This time, there aren't even any ifs, buts, or it depends attached to it. After all, how could life be considered fair, with all the inequality in it, with all the wasted potential, and with all the unproportional consequences to actions, be they positive or negative?
If some people can reap massive rewards for minimal effort, while others put in long hours to years of hard work, literally only to get by, how is that fair? If those with access to power, resources, and ideas have the possibility to improve something to everyone's benefit, but they chose to piss it away, or worse, reduce ways for others to become creative and independent, that is clearly not fair! How many potential Einsteins and Curies are wasting away on garbage dumps or chained to brothel walls? Don't ask me, but looking at our world, I'd say there are too many! And no, it's not fair by any means!
What About Karma?
Making sense of our situation, we need to come to terms with a world that is inherently unfair. One of the steps in doing so is going through denial, or rationalizing away the unfairness to it. So sure, by bringing in reincarnation we can reason that those experiencing the rough end of this unfair life may have dealt it out in previous lives... or maybe even in this current one. Though I can see how some might find happiness in this thinking, it is certainly not the right approach for me.
Firstly, I really don't like how this way you can refer to all types of misery as a well deserved punishment. Secondly, there is a pretty good chance that this reasoning is just that: wishful thinking. I mean, other than the obvious reciprocity you've been nice to me, so I'll be nice to you, accepting that the universe works in mysterious ways is just too great of a leap of faith for me. And I don't see why I should willingly deceive myself.
The Natural World
Whenever I'm confronted with complex issues, I like to take a look at the way nature works these things. Is life fair in natural systems? Certainly not, one would see immediately. If a fox comes across a rabbit burrow full of baby bunnies... There's nothing fair about that for the rabbit family! On the other hand, not being able to eat them would probably be just as unfair for the hungry fox. Likewise, if one bunny manages to escape, for having lost his companions he'll also have less competition over the good herbs his family has been decimating.
So I guess there is some fairness to life after all. But to realize it one needs to look at things from numerous perspectives, and think outside the box. Most of all, we can't be squeamish about death and suffering! And this goes not only for the individual, but must be also applied for the species as a whole. Sometimes entire ecosystems must go so others can take their place. That's what we have been doing over millions of years, evolving to where we are today. It took a few turns of extinctions to get to the diversity we have now. Good job, taking this sensible, rational, and relativist view, so detached from the lot of the individual. But how can this be applied to social questions of fairness?
Fairness in the Unfair
Let's consider all the aspects pertaining to an unfair situation. For this I'd like to take the example of a word quite common in Mexico: hijos de la chingada. This derogatory term is used to describe people from disadvantageous backgrounds. Literally it means that the person's mother had been raped, making them a bastard, and thus without value (disregarding all the value they might actually have to contribute). Though originally it was most likely applied literally to people being born out of wedlock, the practical use refers to any of the numerous ways life can screw you: poverty, lack of education, physical / mental inabilities, being the victim of abuse or exploitation, etc.
At the same time, there is another, etymologically related expression for the other side of the coin: el chingón. Unlike the previous one, this is actually quite positive, and one would feel proud to be described as such. A chingón is someone with certain abilities, finesse, or an attitude that will help them achieve something. And yes, you've probably made the connection here: these skills are a direct result of their disadvantage, whatever it may be. Quite often it is applied to how someone may be street-wise, have great negotiation or sales skills, or is simply able to detect deception. At the same time, it can simply mean being good at something. Just like everything else, these skills had to be learned, practiced, and it was probably not an easy road to get there. But then again, what is?
The Other Side of the Coin
So is it fair that someone managed to reap some benefits from an unfair situation? (Why would it be?) Is it fair that they had to work hard to get where they are? (As opposed to others who were just handed everything in life?) Is it fair that someone who never had to lift a finger most probably sucks at lifting fingers? (Please no envy on this one!) Could it be that life is in fact more fair that it first seems?
Okay, this last one just threw me off. Maybe it is (in certain cases), while it is clearly not (in many others). One thing is certain: Life is way more complex than what can be summed up on such a simple fair-unfair scale. And it's way more complex than what can be answered in a 1000-word QOTW response. But let's not be disappointed that I could not provide a clear answer (once again). The good news is, with such complexity in life we'll have lots of other QOTWs to address other aspects of its complexity. Thank you @ecotrain for providing a regular opportunity to do so!