Here’s Mike again, piping up between ash’s two letters to defend an editorial called “Bad Behavior on the Sidelines” he wrote using a dismissive cliché by – you guessed it – coughing up an even flimsier one. Though she had no idea at the time, ash now realizes his flippant comment foreshadowed the showdown when he treated her shoddily on a far more significant matter.
Whether it be the outcome of a sporting event, a court decision in a contested election, a preferential appointment to the National Guard, patronage hiring and firing, or any other disputed matter, I've always considered "life isn't fair" a poor rationale.
I kind of like it as a rationale -- maybe not as much as "why? because I said so, that's why!" But it works.
Mike
“Life’s not fair” is a dismissive bromide with the potential for insidious consequences, depending on the situation. When Mary Richards was hired by Lou Grant in 1970, and discovered the man she replaced had had a higher salary, she was told it was because he was a husband and father. About to accept that explanation begrudgingly, she suddenly blurted out, “But that would mean that the man with three children would make more money than the man with two children, and obviously that doesn’t happen.”
In 1970, Mary threw up her hands. Years later, she would have had quite a law suit to win. In the intervening time a bunch of activists, whose guiding principle wasn’t “Life’s not fair” decided that since it isn’t, maybe that’s the best reason to try to make it more fair. And to a large extent they succeeded.
Of course gender discrimination ain’t a football game, and “Choose your battles” is, in my opinion, very wise advice. “Why? because I said so, that’s why!” sounds funny, and when dished out to one’s kids on a regular basis is a formula for combustible frustration.
So, levity aside, I don’t think either of them works. Beyond the fact that the two coaches had no business acting like children in front of children, what the editorial didn’t make clear is whether the final score was fair, or the fix was in.
If my letter’s not published, well, you know, it’s small stuff. Sometimes life isn’t fair.