Life Isn’t Fair. Now Get Over It.
Lets deal with one of the more common realities of life. If there isn’t an axiom more self-evident than that life isn’t fair. It never has been throughout the history of mankind, nor will ever be. No matter how much others try to make right with what’s wrong in the world. Life will still be unfair for someone somewhere. In addition, what others made right for one group, could very well “wrong” another group in the process.
Once you realize this yourself, you’ll lead to a much happier life. Unfairness is what makes everyone unique. It makes you different than anyone else. You’ll stop asking why are they richer than me? How come my child is awful in sports? You won’t be asking for government intervention to fix what’s “broken”. Yet we constantly ask our politicians to help fix something that directly affects us in life because it’s unfair.
I recently watched on DVD with my four-year-old son, “The Sneetches” by Dr. Seuss. Dr. Seuss was a rhyming rapping genius, and as a child of course I never got this. When watching this video, the proverbial light bulb went off in my head.
The basic gist of the story: the Sneetches without stars on their stomach felt they were being treated unfairly by the ones who did. The ones without stars met up with a man named Sylvester. He had a machine that would allow them to also have stars by each paying $10 dollars. Once everyone has stars, the ones that had stars initially wanted their stars removed by Sylvester. It could be said that Sylvester is our government. I won’t give away the rest of the suspenseful story, but I suggest you watch it. For the complete video you can check it out on YouTube.
Life is full of unfairness. Here are some examples in the real world:
- US government employees make more than the private sector
- Someone else is richer than you
- Your child has a learning disability
- You are born in North Korea (sad part they don’t realize it)
- Too young or too old
- Too ugly or too pretty (yes being too good looking has issues)
All of these are unfortunate things, but that’s the way things are. Those were the cards you were dealt with in life. It’s your decision how you play your hand. I’m not saying I don’t have compassion for these issues. I do, I really do have compassion for others. My point is instead of complaining, use the unfairness in your life, and work around them. Use what could be considered a disadvantage, to your advantage. There have been many examples throughout history of people who have, against all odds, made themselves into a success story. What made them unique was the reason for their success, not failure. They didn’t blame others for their issues, and instead took action regardless of the circumstances. We need to become the best we can be, and not compare ourselves to others.
Entitlement
Related to unfairness is entitlement. I’ll send out the all points bulletin, but you aren’t entitled to anything. Just because you worked hard all of your life doesn’t mean you deserve anything. Even though every child wins an award in an elementary school sporting event, that’s not how the world works. Some examples:
- You already got two years of unemployment benefits, does not mean you are entitled for more.
- If I don’t listen to what my existing or future customers want does not entitle me to still be in business.
- You don’t deserve a corner office when just getting out of college.
- The senator, who doesn’t listen to their constituents, isn’t entitled to their position come elections.
- You aren’t entitled to own a home.
- You aren’t entitled to an education.
- You are most definitely are not entitled to free health care.
Entitlement to me means everyone deserves the same quality of service for the same price (or “free”). We all know in economic reality there is no such thing as a free lunch. Some way, somehow someone has to pay for the services. Since I’m in the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, there aren’t magical leprechauns dancing around a pot of gold so an entitlement can exist (or maybe they do). Even communist and socialist countries have shown that people still get treated unfairly with entitlements. For example, it’s safe to assume in his failing health, Fidel Castro gets better health care than the average person within his country. Everyone in Cuba is entitled to the same health care, but not everyone gets treated equally. In the end, entitlement leads to mediocrity, which leads to overall poor service, and lack of innovation.
Readers what do you think? Do you think I’m a heartless bastard who has no care for his fellow man? Or do I just accept the facts of life, and deal with it in a rational way?
Created: Wednesday, 10 March 2010 09:07 Last Updated: Sunday, 14 March 2010 12:31 Written by: Investor Junkie
I donno IJ. I think so long as someone else continues to pay for my lunches and let's me free-ride with bailouts and stuff, it's all good!
I mean, raise taxes on everyone but ourselves right? Support tax hikes if you don't have to pay for one. Isn't this the American way?
Blame the banks and Wall St. for the housing collapse instead of the buyers who bought homes they couldn't afford. It is the American Way.
"raise taxes on everyone but ourselves right? Support tax hikes if you don't have to pay for one." That would make it not fair then
Hey I'm all for it then 
That's not the American way you describe, that's human nature.
I discussed with wifey the other day about we should reduce the size of our government. She then proceeded to mention about a service we get from the govt. I mentioned we'll take advantage of it because it's there. We would be a fool not to use it. We pay enough taxes.
It doesn't mean though I agree it should be there in the first place. In fact would rather pay for it directly ourselves, if they reduced our taxes proportionally. Instead of complaining how it's unfair, I instead go with the flow and use it to our advantage. That's the message my friend.
Preach on, Junkie!
You're absolutely right. No one is entitled to anything. I think too many of us forget that sometimes.
Wow, IJ, what do you really think? No, I don't think you are a heartless bastard. I DO think we, as intelligent, reasonable people, can have a discussion about how much we should attempt to promote equality (fairness) in things like income and tax burdens (if we shoot for equality at all).
One interesting thing, though. If senators aren't entitled to keep their seats if they don't listen to their constituents, and their constituents demand free health care, shouldn't senators turn health care into an entitlement? Just something that the juxtaposition on your list of entitlements makes me think…
Heh. I'm not beating around the bush on this.. I suspect I'll have a few mean comments from readers. Which is fine. I would love to have an intelligent debate on this and/or prove me wrong.
You are correct about the juxtaposition and I believe that's Financial Samurai's position. Everything is good.
You are not a heartless bastard you are a Normal Person that understands that there are repruccusions for every gov't interference. Life isn't fair, nor do I want it to be otherwise what is the point of working harder, smarter, faster?
GREAT FREAKING POST
Thanks Evan for the comment.
I just watched the short video. Brilliant indeed… he is a rapping rhyming genius. Let me watch the rest of the movie on youtube!
I stopped trying to compare too much with others about 6 years ago. After you make a certain amount of money, it's kinda pointless.
Just have fun, be true to yourself, and it's all good!
IJ, just read your "education" link. Did you ever read this? If not, check it out!
http://www.financialsamurai.com/2009/11/23/tuitio...
Yea in fact I commented on it ;-0 It's ok I'll keep the link for link bait.
Last week was Dr. Seuss's birthday. Happy B-day!
Ah yes, I forgot you had a different alias then! lol. What's link baiting? I have no idea. I'm happy for anybody to link in my comments whatever they are referring to. It makes it easier to follow.
http://www.jimwestergren.com/link-bait/
again which is fine by me, as long as the content is truly related. Another method to help increase your Alexa ranking
[...] http://investorjunkie.com/life-isnt-fair-now-get-over-it: Great points about the fairness of life! There will always be someone richer than you (barring [...]
Yes life isn’t fair and you’re not entitled to anything. But that doesn’t mean that someone should “suffer” just because they are born in the wrong place. We have the possibilities and the resources to provide education and healthcare, so why not? Because someone else has to pay a bit more taxes? We’ll just assume here that the taxes paid are 100% efficiently spent on stuff that needs it, for convenience sake.
You bring up (practically) free health care, it works rather well in other parts of the world. Free is just an illusion of course, as it’s being paid for with the tax money. It gives poorer people a chance to have decent healthcare.
Entitlement does not necessarily lead to mediocrity, a perfect example of that are universities in Europe versus universities in the US. It is apparently a lot easier in the US (bachelors), even though you pay huge admission fees in the US. For masters programmes the gap is a lot narrower apparently.
That doesn’ t mean it’s all perfect in Europe though, egalization and required quota for the amount of students that have to pass definitely bring the level down.
Neither extreme is good, it’s all about finding a balance that works well and this goes for pretty much everything (or so I believe).
Hi Experimently thanks for visiting. Let me break down your comment line by line, since most of it contains hyperbole:
"But that doesn't mean that someone should "suffer" just because they are born in the wrong place."
Who exactly is suffering can you be clear on this generalization? Couldn't you say this about being born in North Korea instead of the US? What we consider "poor" in the US blows away most other countries. The stats on what the poor have in the US in mind boggling.
Read my post on Financial Samurai's site about the poor here in the US:
http://www.financialsamurai.com/2010/01/13/you-are-already-wealthy-stop-complaining/
I'm not saying someone poor in the US has it made, but they aren't starving to death, or not getting health care in emergency situations.
"We have the possibilities and the resources to provide education and healthcare, so why not? "
We do?? Look at California budget crisis, and in general the costs paid to teacher pensions. Healthcare. Medicare won't have the funding available by some estimates 2017:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicare_%28United_States%29#Financial_challenges
So where is that money that we have available? The existing entitlements are not properly funded, so the logic is add more entitlements?? If we are so gung ho about entitlements, let's fix the ones we have already first? Wouldn't that logically make sense? Instead this existing administration is hell bent, to hell or high water, this existing heath care bill will get past.
"Because someone else has to pay a bit more taxes?"
A bit more?? Ah the top 10% of income producers pay 70% in all taxes.
http://www.ntu.org/tax-basics/who-pays-income-taxes.html
That's just federal, that's not state, local and any consumption taxes (which rich usually pay more)
"We'll just assume here that the taxes paid are 100% efficiently spent on stuff that needs it, for convenience sake."
That's a BIG assumption! So you are saying the government is more efficient than a person or businesses? Can you honestly state that with a straight face? I don't have exact stats but I have seen things like for every $1.00 taxed they get $0.50 out. The government has never been efficient.
"You bring up (practically) free health care, it works rather well in other parts of the world."
Let's use England, how is that country working out for ya? They are in even worse shape than us. France has always had much higher unemployment (not saying per heathcare per se) and Europe on the whole has had much lower GDP growth than we have. What do you think are the causes of these issues? For every action there is other reactions in order to support what you want ("free" healthcare and schooling). Also what may work with some of the countries, will they work in ours? Based upon how large and diverse a country we are, and government involvement, I'm not so sure. It’s a known fact that 1/5 of economy is based on health care. So we are going to do this grand experiment and see what happens?
"It gives poorer people a chance to have decent healthcare."
Actually history has shown (even with outside of heathcare) It overall lowers the standards. In addition, a two tiered healthcare would form.
I wouldn’t exactly call it hyperbole, as I wasn’t limiting myself to the US or the western nations for that matter.
“That’s a BIG assumption!”
Well I absolutely agree with you that current issues need to be dealt with before embarking on a crusade to fix everything else, and of course spending the tax money more efficiently. So maybe it was too big an assumption.
You are also right that it’s not because something works for one country, that it will work for another. But that I will leave to the people in charge to figure out.
To your last part do you have any historical examples, I am curious to see what you meant by that.
And yes that’d lead to a two tiered system, why is that bad though?
"And yes that'd lead to a two tiered system, why is that bad though? "
Isn't the ultimate goal is to ensure everyone is treated fairly and same? A two tiered system makes it unfair again. The laws would create the opposite effect on their intention.
"To your last part do you have any historical examples, I am curious to see what you meant by that." Yea I'll find specific examples when I have a chance and post it to this thread.
Unless you outlaw private medicine, you’ll always have a two tiered system I think. A good marketeer can sell anything and I figure they already have an easier time selling medicine to people.
That's a brilliant video IJ! Brought me back to the good ol' days. I didn't realize that Dr. Seuss was so 'deep'!
Heated discussion here =) i agree that we are not entitled to anything. I think Generation Y is brought up to think otherwise (I think we were the first ever cohort to receive gold stars and ribbons for doing jack sh*t). That's why all us young'uns are pissing the working world off with our mentality of: work less earn more, learn more, and spend more!
Thanks for the comment. Actually I never mentioned any generation (I happen to be a gen Xer myself) Isn't it always the elders complain about the youngins? I see entitlement in people younger AND older. I really wasn't even thinking of a specific age group. Overall though I think people are in for a rude awaking in the next 5-10 years. A simple example is in the case of things like Social inSecurity either the age will increase or the amount doled out will decrease or both!
Investor Junkie – you're absolutely right on this.
The trouble is I've experienced two kinds of people who think like you and I do on this matter.
One kind is awful, and the other kind are the self reliant entrepreneurs (or for that matter musicians or athletes or dedicated family members caring for a sicked love one or whatever who take responsibility).
In my experience the first kind who believe as we do are far more prevalent. "Life isn't fair," they shout from their sports car as they drive through a puddle and drench the masses.
I hope I'm the second kind of person who believes in personal responsibility, and not the first. But perhaps we can never be sure about ourselves, from the inside?
Very good point. Yea I can definitely see how someone might think the first way about me. For me it's about personal responsibility without question. Own up to your actions. Don't blame someone else. My wife and I actually live a pretty simple life. Do I like some material things? I would be lying if I didn't say yes. In the end though I don't buy to impress I buy for myself. In the end I can honestly care with others think of me. Life is too short to worry about that. I've learned you have to make yourself happy first before you can make others happy.
[...] is the point made by Investor Junkie in his well-titled post ‘Life Isn’t Fair. Now Get Over It.‘ It’s a decent summation of ways in which life isn’t fair, as well as the [...]