Jane has one pie. John has none. Should Jane give John a slice?
The situation is unequal, but we need some context – including some history – to be able to decide if it’s unfair. Your feelings might change if…
- Jane and John were each given a pie by a friend, but John has just finished eating his.
- Jane bought the ingredients and cooked the pie.
- Jane bought the pie from John.
- They are kids. Jane inherited a pie shop and has just been given a pie by her mother, while John was raised in poverty and is standing with his nose pressed up against the window of the shop as Jane tucks in.
- Jane is an adult, and John is a child in the same situation.
- They are adults. Jane inherited a pie shop. John inherited a car dealership.
- They were both born with nothing.
- Jane’s parents raised her to love pies and taught her how to make them. John’s parents didn’t teach him anything.
- Jane and John’s parents imbued them with a love of short-crust pastry and offal from an early age but John left to become a writer. Nobody buys his books.
- Jane has struggled her whole life to make this pie. John is an award winning writer, and a self-made millionaire.
- Jane has queued for hours to buy an award-winning steak and kidney pie. John is still in the queue.
- Jane and John are siblings who inherited the pie shop together. Jane bought John out and has been running the shop. John has just returned home after squandering his inheritance on a year long booze-cruise on a floating casino.
- The person next to Jane has ten pies.
- Jane and John are siblings who inherited the pie shop together. Jane bought John out and has been running the shop. John has spent his share on life-saving surgery for a friend.
- They’re leaving a pie shop. Jane bought a pie and John bought a magazine.
- Jane stole the pie.
- John’s family invented pies, and Jane has used their recipe.
- Jane stole the pie from John.
- Jane forced John to bake the pie and has given him nothing.
- Jane paid John an agreed upon amount to buy the ingredients with her money and to cook the pie.
- John doesn’t like pies.
- John is allergic to pies.
- John is starving to death.
When should Jane share? When shouldn’t she?
Are there situations in which Jane should be forced to share?
So helpful. The lack of nuance in society fuelled by social media is pretty frightening. This is a great reminder to be kind, to ask questions, and to really seek after righteousness and justice