The Kids Might Be Right

Have we forgotten that sometimes things are simple?

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When I was little, I had a strong sense of fairness. Like most kids, I was indignant at the little injustices I encountered. Sometimes it was that my sister got more sweets than me, and sometimes it was seeing a homeless person on the side of the road. In both cases, the solution seemed obvious, and I didn’t understand why someone didn’t simply set the situation right.

It never made sense to me when, having pointed out the problem, my parents didn’t immediately agree to give me the same sweets. And it made no sense to me that someone without food or shelter couldn’t be given a meal and a place to live.

My parents would patiently explain to me the nature of the problems I saw in the world, gently letting me in on the realities of poverty and charity, and that there was just never enough money to go around. Growing up meant letting go of my childish notions of fairness, and recognizing that most of society’s problems are not so easily solved.

I’ve been grown a while now, and have long since learned to live with the little injustices — and the big ones too. I know enough to understand that recognizing the problem isn’t enough to solve it. As adults, there’s a…