Is our current idea of fairness a product of modern capitalism; where we must be justly compensated for every action, every minuscule investment of time, money or some other method of value?
I talked with a woman tonight about co-ops (the one she was involved in had a long history - decades - and was destroyed for the new Olympic park in Stratford) There the people exchanged their time for cheap rents, by offering their skills in service to the co-op as a whole. One thing stood out to me; it was not a direct exchange, like these skill exchange sites you get (who’s gonna find someone that needs french lessons for some garden landscaping?), but amongst a group of people with the general belief that the whole is getting better not the individual. A bit like insurance, you may not get the return straightaway, but if you need it you’re gonna get it. But also, though there will be personal return, as a whole the community/world you live in is going to get better.
However, I increasingly find that in most cases the reward is expected to be instant, or otherwise it is purely financial; I have never more so experienced this than in house sharing. I have also discovered this to be the case in any area where effort must be credited, and there are those that defend their effort and right to award with the defensiveness of a mother hen.
I would never want to mis-credit someone, or take advantage of someone, but over time I have come to be more laid back on my exact rights to reduce my anger and bitterness. I just want to share the realisation that there’s far more things worth my time and effort than anger, and the stress that comes with it. I still find myself shallow and angry all the time but I have to calm myself down, I want to be like the afore-mentioned co-op, I want to help make things better for everyone, not just myself.
