Fairness is still on my mind today, as I just completed a 5-page article for parents and teachers who want to help young people build fairness into their lives. Fairness is the character trait of the month on our premium membership site and it is there that I posted my article on how to teach it.
A previous blog focused on the fact that fairness requires one to play by the rules. This blog will look at another facet: Fairness never takes advantage of others.
This morning, as I looked out the window, I saw a man who epitomizes unfairness in this matter. I’m sure he doesn’t realize it. He seems to be a fair man in most respects, but he seems oblivious to the fact that he takes advantage of others. The man – “Joe” – is a small-time real estate investor. He owns several houses in our small town, and a triplex on our street. He lives in the end unit of that triplex, separated from the two rented units by his garage. As I said, “Joe” appears to be a good landlord, with the exception of one thing: he takes advantage of his renters.
Take his large, green, rolling garbage bin. Joe instructs center unit renters to place their garbage bin on a small porch outside their front window. He tells third unit renters to place theirs beside the center unit’s garage. But where does “Joe” place his garbage bin? He seems to want it out of sight, so he keeps it on the far side of his garage – by the front window of the center unit. By taking advantage of that rented space, “Joe” has spoiled the center unit’s front view, and made them cope with three garbage bins instead of one!
Although “Joe” has a large pickup truck and SUV, his garage is too packed with hobby equipment to accept even a very small car. So “Joe” parks one vehicle in his driveway. The other, he usually parks in front of the center unit’s front window. Or, he parks by the fire hydrant in front of the third unit’s front window. He has space to enlarge his own driveway – but “Joe” is content with taking advantage of the rented space. I’ve watched renters back from their garages, carefully maneuvering to avoid “Joe’s” bumper.
“Fairness never takes advantage of others,” you say. “That’s unfair!”
But wait! There’s more! “Joe” owns two boats – large and small – as well as a very large rubber raft. Each of these three recreational vehicles sits on its own trailer. At times, the larger boat sits in “Joe’s” driveway for days, towering above the garage roof and totally blocking the front view of the center unit. “Joe” spends hours working on that boat, utilizing for work space the small garden outside the center unit’s front window. With the driveway filled, “Joe” must park both of his other vehicles on rented property, of course. When the boats and raft are not in use, all can be seen around town, parked in front of other rented units “Joe” owns. Yes, he collects monthly from every renter, and then takes advantage of the property they have rented to store his personal belongings.
I think if “Joe” were to read this blog, or the article on our premium membership site, he might wonder who the object was. He seems to be a fair man in other matters. I don’t think he schemes to take advantage of others. I think his is a case of a man who was never taught one simple fact: Fairness never takes advantage of others.
That’s the view from my chair. What’s your view?