I recently saw a reel where a content creator advised people to “use your unfair advantage to get ahead of others in life.” This made me question the idea behind that phrase.
First, what does it mean to call something unfair? Usually, something unfair is something that is not equal or not just. But is life itself unfair? I don’t think so. Life is simply life. It is neither fair nor unfair. These labels are only expressions of our feelings about the situations we experience.
If someone grows up in a place where opportunities, education, and financial stability are limited, they might call life unfair. On the other hand, someone who has access to quality education, economic security, and basic comforts might call life fair. But in reality, life itself is just the collection of circumstances we happen to be in. Our judgments of fairness or unfairness come from our personal experiences.
Now consider the phrase “use your unfair advantage.”
Unfair to whom? To others. An advantage could mean a skill, opportunity, or resource that one person has while others do not. In that sense, the advice simply means: use what you already have — your abilities, resources, or opportunities — to move ahead.
However, the phrase also assumes something deeper: that life is a race where getting ahead of others is the primary goal. But why do we want to get ahead of others in the first place? Usually, this desire exists when many people want something that is limited — status, recognition, money, or power. Because many want the same thing, competition emerges.
But before using our resources to chase such goals, an important question must be asked: Why do we desire these things at all?
There is little meaning in chasing something that later feels empty after achieving it. Many people exhaust themselves pursuing goals that seem impressive from the outside but feel meaningless once they are attained. The process of reaching a goal is often difficult and painful, so if the goal itself lacks deeper meaning, the effort can eventually lead to regret.
That is why the advice “use your unfair advantage” feels incomplete. It should naturally raise several questions: Who are you? Why do you want what you want? Is the pursuit meaningful? Is it worth using your abilities and resources for?
Only after reflecting on these questions should a person decide how to use their strengths and opportunities.
Perhaps the phrase should be reframed. Instead of encouraging people simply to get ahead of others, it would be wiser to say: use your natural abilities and resources for meaningful growth and upliftment. But even this must come with responsibility. Growth should not come at the cost of exploiting others or blindly chasing desires without reflection.
Life itself is not a race. Competition exists in certain systems, much like mathematics: if one person performs better than others according to specific rules, they win. But outside such systems, life is far more complex.
Consider a race between a cheetah and a lion. Everyone already knows which animal will win in speed. The result is determined by natural ability. Similarly, each person has different strengths and limitations.
Therefore, before promoting the idea of using one’s “unfair advantage,” the thought should be expressed more carefully. Perhaps the better message would be: recognize your natural abilities and resources, understand your intentions, and use them consciously to pursue something meaningful and to grow as a human being.