To Just or Not to Just?

Do you like to be treated fairly? So do I. Does it bother you to be treated unfairly? Me, too. This, in a nutshell, explains why justice and injustice are topics that we should think about daily. I don’t know where I came by my fascination with precedence, but I feel as if I am able to trace virtually every injustice to a precedent that somehow established it as acceptable. Part of being a moral person is an ongoing awareness of the distinction between good and evil, right and wrong, and then integrating that understanding into the way I behave. I will not, however, have to look too far to discover a precedent that manages to challenge the veracity of the original choice. Why did I do that? Because Johnny did it first. Did Johnny do the right thing? That doesn’t seem to matter as much as that he did it first. I should warn you that this habit of determining what is just and what is unjust is problematic because it can quickly devolve into judgment. The ethic of mutual reciprocity (e.g. The Golden Rule) does not afford the luxury of judging others. I will treat others fairly because I like being treated fairly. End of story! I’m not being fair because it makes me superior, nor does it make someone who acts unfairly inferior. Unless something is done to turn it around, the human population of planet Earth is unflinchingly marching toward SRO (standing room only). It may not seem so important right now to be a proponent of justice and an adversary of injustice, but when we’re bumping into someone every time we turn around it will be crucial.