Gifts Aren't Fair

Gifts aren’t fair

To receive a gift, really and truly for free, is a rare thing in this world, and may even make the receiver uncomfortable. Even the lotteries and sweepstakes have to go to a great deal of trouble to prove to everybody that it is chance that picks the winner—that the winner is nobody’s favorite. To give prizes or gifts by any method except by random selection isn’t considered “fair.” And the ones who stand by and watch a gift bestowed upon another—as in, for example, an inheritance situation—are often upset at the unfairness of such an act.

When I was in the first grade, I was going to school in a small town up in the Carpathian mounains. All year we worked hard on progressive classwork. I was studying to be a pioneer – kind of Boy Scout program. I had worked hard and looked forward eagerly to the day of the investiture service. Pioneer! I mean only the A,s and B,s students…

When the principal arrived, he spread out on the table all of the scarves and pins for all of those who were being invested as pioneer. And after that he said that all of us, all the students will became pioneers because the communist party who ruled our country at that time, considered that all kids should be pioneers and participate in pioneers activities. Can you imagine? All the scholar year, from August to May next year the magnificent sevent second graders working hard for their A’s and B’s in order to be promoted pioneers. And now, everybody, including the bullies of our 31 student’s class, was promoted as pioneers…

It was so unjust, so unfair…The whole experience set my interest in class work and beeing good student back by about five years.