Fairness versus Hierarchy [View all]

[ProfessorPlum]

There are two kinds of humans - humans that want fairness to be more important than hierarchy. And humans that want hierarchy to be more important than fairness.

We've seen a stark example of this in the reaction to Thursday's testimony. All over social media, hierarchic humans are bawling about someone at the top of hierarchy being slowed and possibly stopped by someone "below" him.

I know which kind of world I'd rather live in. Fairness would be so beneficial for so many people, it amazes me how much power the authoritarians still have.

And I know what happens when the hierarchy gets too much power - they start committing the ultimate acts of unfairness against those they perceive at the bottom of the ladder. Putting refuges in camps. Creating a police state for immigrants - both legal and undocumented. Crapping on women. Creating vast unfairness for minorities. Dictating the official religion.

We need a better sales pitch for Fairness. Hierarchy explains itself to people fairly automatically (you're better than some people, and $ome people are better than mo$t). It's why we have two justice systems.

It always amazes me how many people would trade fairness (which would shower benefits on them) for being one or two rungs up their ladder.