With eager politicians sensing an enticeable electorate, an ageless maternal mantra is being systematically extinguished.<\/p>\n
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\u201cLife isn\u2019t fair\u201d is the frequent refrain.\u00a0 The challenge is that we each take turns dismantling the mantra.\u00a0 We say it isn\u2019t fair, yet we act as if it should be.\u00a0 Therein lies the equity error.\u00a0 It\u2019s rampant; it\u2019s all over \u2014 amidst all demographics.\u00a0 Call it the fallacy of fairness…<\/p>\n
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During the 2008 presidential primary season, when attempting to discern the plausibility of a Barack Obama presidency, I was struck by Obama\u2019s foreshadowing response to ABC moderator, Charlie Gibson.\u00a0 When Gibson asked why Obama desired to raise the capital gains tax when the lower tax rates advocated by both Bill Clinton and George Bush netted measurable, increased government revenue, Obama replied, \u201cWell, Charlie, what I’ve said is that I would look at raising the capital gains tax for purposes of <\/em>fairness<\/em><\/strong>.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 At the time, I remember thinking that perhaps since Obama\u2019s background is in law, his economic understanding was momentarily lesser.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Since that time, however, we have witnessed \u201cfairness\u201d manifest itself in proposed policy.\u00a0 Regardless of effectiveness \u2014 let me say that again \u2014 regardless of effectiveness<\/em><\/strong> \u2014 policy and advocacy are being promoted on the perception of fairness.\u00a0 That\u2019s why this portrayed stab of equity is in error.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We discussed this briefly in regard to the Occupy Movement.\u00a0 The movement has a fairly firm \u2014 although initially incongruous \u2014 list of demands.\u00a0 Yet the bottom line of these clearly, disillusioned capitalists is that they believe happiness is their right; they have confused possessing happiness with pursuing it.\u00a0 Hence, in order to be happy \u2014 which they see possible through free housing, education, income, and medical care \u2014 they believe it\u2019s appropriate to take from someone else.\u00a0 They believe it\u2019s fair.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In France on Sunday, the French elected a new president, Francois Hollande.\u00a0 Hollande is a socialist.\u00a0 In fact, he intends to increase spending, borrowing, and taxes, even though the European nation is already deeply in debt. For those making in excess of $1.35 million annually, Hollande proposes taxing them at 75% (you read that correctly),<\/em> as\u00a0 \u00a0 seizing the income of the wealthy is only fair.\u00a0 Socialism is another manifestation of the equity error; the government then serves as the discerner of fairness.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Since when do we have a right to that which belongs to someone else?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Income?\u00a0 Opportunity?\u00a0 Even inheritance?\u00a0 Should that which is someone else\u2019s good fortune be shared with me?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Follow me briefly for a relevant side note…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n My oldest son plays high school baseball.\u00a0 He does very well.\u00a0 3 weeks ago I ran into into a fellow baseball parent in the check-out lane at the nearest grocery; our sons play on the same team.\u00a0 The parent enthusiastically shared with me that her son had been elevated to the next highest team at the high school.\u00a0 What was my reaction?\u00a0 Elation!\u00a0 Congratulations that their son was asked to play on a better team!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The reality is that in that moment, I had 2 possible ways of reacting:\u00a0 (1) looking at the situation from the perspective of how it affects their son; or (2) looking at it from the perspective of how it affects me.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When we look at life from \u201chow it affects me,\u201d we lose sight of reality.\u00a0 Their son\u2019s progress, for example, had nothing to do with me; it had nothing to do with my son.\u00a0 Their son was rewarded.\u00a0 Excellent!\u00a0 I need to celebrate the success of their son as opposed to falling prey to comparing them to me.\u00a0 I need to celebrate the success of others as opposed to labeling them as \u201cgreedy,\u201d \u201carrogant,\u201d or even \u201copportunistic.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In other words, fairness is irrelevant.\u00a0 But that\u2019s hard to admit; it\u2019s far easier to dismiss the maternal mantra of \u201clife not being fair\u201d than it is to wrestle with our own circumstances.\u00a0 \u201cEquity\u201d becomes bigger than reality.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Whether capital gains tax or high school baseball, the success of someone else need not be shared with you and me.\u00a0 Life\u2019s not fair.\u00a0 My mother once told me that.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Respectfully,<\/p>\n AR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" With eager politicians sensing an enticeable electorate, an ageless maternal mantra is being systematically extinguished. \u201cLife isn\u2019t fair\u201d is the frequent refrain.\u00a0 The challenge is that we each take turns dismantling the mantra.\u00a0 We say it isn\u2019t fair, yet we act as if it should be.\u00a0 Therein lies the equity error.\u00a0 It\u2019s rampant; it\u2019s … <\/p>\n