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TUESDAY HOT READ: THE FALLACY OF FAIRNESSBy Charlie SykesRule Number One: Life is not fair. Get used to it. Thomas Sowell explains. If there is ever a contest to pick which word has done the most damage to people's thinking, and to actions to carry out that thinking, my nomination would be the word "fair." It is a word thrown around by far more people than have ever bothered to even try to define it. This mushy vagueness may be a big handicap in logic but it is a big advantage in politics. All sorts of people, with very different notions about what is or is not fair, can be mobilized behind this nice-sounding word, in utter disregard of the fact that they mean very different things when they use that word. Some years ago, for example, there was a big outcry that various mental tests used for college admissions or for employment were biased and "unfair" to many individuals or groups. Fortunately there was one voice of sanity-- David Riesman, I believe-- who said: "The tests are not unfair. LIFE is unfair and the tests measure the results." |
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Tuesday, Feb 9 at 10:24 PM Carl Skalitzky wrote ...
I need a coauthor and a publisher. The most recognizable source of equality and fairness is a day of rest. Nobody works today and nobody gets paid, it was the most fair for slaves.
37339679 Flag for moderationTuesday, Feb 9 at 9:44 PM Hank wrote ...
Cal, I really don't understand what your point is. The Free Market corrects mistakes by "titans" of the Free Market by letting those businesses fail. Obama is propping up the "titans" who failed, and took control of those businesses (such as GM). This is called Fascism - Government takeover of private industry. BTW, Thomas Sowell is an African-American, and he never plays the "victim card". He's a brilliant writer, and happens to be a believer in the Free Market.
37337871 Flag for moderationTuesday, Feb 9 at 9:43 PM Bob in Zion wrote ...
Fairness is really can I get equal results from equal effort and ambition. If you don't have the same effort, and ambition, you'll think things are unfair because you didn't end up with the same result as someone else. When I was in commissioned sales, the biggest whiners about the "unfairness" of our splits where the folks who worked the shortest weeks, and took the most time off. The guys working 80 hour weeks who spent their offtime working new leads never complained, but made a boatload
37337826 Flag for moderationTuesday, Feb 9 at 12:45 PM Cal wrote ...
Life is unfair and we're supposed to bend over and take it?? The American economy lost over 12 Trillion in this recession. Almost one year of GDP. Yes the right wants to blame a few compromised congressman, however this has been discredited. As has the minor role played by Freddie and Fannie. Rather our titans of free markets behaved like criminals and almost destroyed the entire system. So Sowell's response is to do what? Recognize that life is not fair and grab your ankles?
37294073 Flag for moderationTuesday, Feb 9 at 11:14 AM fmff to KM wrote ...
Amen, the story of stories of the ages....I believe we all struggle with that, endlessly....ah, the human plight....
37286528 Flag for moderationTuesday, Feb 9 at 6:14 AM KM wrote ...
Fair is in the eye of the beholder. Usually the one the says something is fair is on the better end of things; the losing end has his/her pride tweeked. Self-pride is behind most conflicts from the very beginning of time. Pick up your Bible and start reading the stories of unfairness and pride - amazing!
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