“I am an Intentional Learner. I believe that my life is my fault. I may have started from a different point than everyone else. My path may be easier or harder than everyone else’s. But I will not let my past dictate my future. I have the power to act and succeed, or to do nothing and fail.”
We’re obsessed with “fair.” And we should be. Any system that disproportionately favors one group over another is doomed to strife.
But.
“Fair” doesn’t mean “same.” We wish it did, because “same” is easy. Everyone gets the same trophy, regardless of whether they win or not. That’s “same.” But is it fair? What if one team sits at home eating potato chips and playing video games while the other is eating veggies and putting in hours of exercise and practice? Do they deserve the same reward?
“Fair” is insisting that both teams follow the same rules, and then giving the winners the trophy. “Same” isn’t “fair.”
That’s just a game.
In real life, we try to give everyone the same opportunity. We feel a sense of injustice when the current rules, or the results of past rules now defunct, make it harder for some to succeed than others.
I’m very thankful for the statesmen who are trying to figure this out.
But it won’t do much for you.
Your life is happening. Right now. You can look at the deck that’s stacked against you and complain that your starting point is different than everyone else’s. You can mistake “same” for “fair.” And you’ll end up fighting that battle your entire life. You can sit on your hands, doing nothing and fighting for “fairness.”
Or.
You can take charge. You can realize that in some room on Earth, YOU are the privileged one with the advantage. You can decide that even if it’s harder for you, you’re going to reach out and grab your dream.
And when you reach it, and you stand among others who made it, you’ll know the score. You’ll have the power to make the path easier for those who follow in your footsteps.
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