---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life is basically unfair. But even in a…"
description: "\"“Life is basically unfair. But even in a situation that's unfair, I think it's possible to seek a kind of fairness.”\" — Haruki Murakami"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/haruki-murakami-21_justice_life-is-basically-unfair-but-even-in-a-s_1395762.jpg"
---

#  Life is basically unfair. But even in a situation that's…

![“Life is basically unfair. But even in a situation that's unfair, I think it's possible to seek a kind of fairness.” quote by Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/haruki-murakami-21_justice_life-is-basically-unfair-but-even-in-a-s_1395762.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/haruki-murakami-21_justice_life-is-basically-unfair-but-even-in-a-s_1395762.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/haruki-murakami-21_justice_life-is-basically-unfair-but-even-in-a-s_1395762.jpg)

> ““Life is basically unfair. But even in a situation that's unfair, I think it's possible to seek a kind of fairness.””

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Even when circumstances are unjust, one can still pursue a personal sense of fairness through actions and mindset.

**In simple terms:** Seek personal fairness despite unfairness.

Key Takeaway

Act with integrity in unfair situations.

Themes

justice resilience personal growth

Mood

reflective determined

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- workplace conflicts
- family disputes
- social activism
- personal setbacks

Key Concepts

ethics subjective fairness agency

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you create fairness for yourself when the system is biased?
- What actions reflect personal fairness?

A Different Perspective

Fairness is subjective and may clash with systemic inequities.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Basically Unfair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basically-unfair-4107241/) [Fair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fair/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Kind Fairness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind-fairness-4877356/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Situation Unfair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situation-unfair-4316557/) [Unfair Situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfair-situation-4316558/) [Unfair Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfair-think-627310/)

## Related quotes

> [Let's face it: Life is basically unfair. But even in a situation that's unfair, I think it's possible to seek out a kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-s-face-it-life-is-basically-unfair-but-even-in-a-situation-that-s/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [In other words, let's face it: Life is basically unfair. But even in a situation that's unfair, I think it's possible to seek out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/in-other-words-let-s-face-it-life-is-basically-unfair-but-even-in-a/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [Life is not unfair but the choices we make take us to that 'unfair' situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bulumko-pantsi/life-is-not-unfair-but-the-choices-we-make-take-us-to-that-unfair/)

[Bulumko Pantsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bulumko-pantsi/)

> [I think it's particularly raw coming the day after the Electoral College, and Bill Clinton, he's taking this hard. It's been very hard to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gergen/i-think-it-s-particularly-raw-coming-the-day-after-the-electoral/)

[David Gergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gergen/)

> [One of the reasons I don't have kids is because I think people would have been very unfair to them. Think of it. You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-blair/one-of-the-reasons-i-don-t-have-kids-is-because-i-think-people-would/)

[Linda Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-blair/)

> [“Even though she was taken from you and it was so unfair, I think that you are so lucky that you had a chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanna-j-faison/even-though-she-was-taken-from-you-and-it-was-so-unfair-i-think-that/)

[Alanna J. Faison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanna-j-faison/)

> [I have found that the many imbalances within our individual lives result in an overall more worldly balance. What I mean is that no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/i-have-found-that-the-many-imbalances-within-our-individual-lives/)

[Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/)

> [It's not unfair, I think, to describe boxers as a demographic little given to literary entanglement. In general, with exceptions, they prefer movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/it-s-not-unfair-i-think-to-describe-boxers-as-a-demographic-little/)

[Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/)

> [Life is so unfair, the more I think bout it the more I want to change. In the end it doesn't mean much so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-so-unfair-the-more-i-think-bout-it-the-more-i-want-to-change/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It's unfair to think that we can do what we do with the intensity that we do it and expect injuries to not happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-cormier/it-s-unfair-to-think-that-we-can-do-what-we-do-with-the-intensity/)

[Daniel Cormier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-cormier/)

> [Every time you lose, you think that life's unfair. You think of the bad breaks. But when you're winning and playing well, you still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-norman/every-time-you-lose-you-think-that-life-s-unfair-you-think-of-the-bad/)

[Greg Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-norman/)

> [If you think life is unfair, think twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wancute/if-you-think-life-is-unfair-think-twice/)

[WanCute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wancute/)

> [“Life just isn’t fair, is how it used to strike me. Some people can work their butts off and never get what they’re aiming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/life-just-isn-t-fair-is-how-it-used-to-strike-me-some-people-can-work/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [If China someday gains a more fair, just, and accountable system of government, it will be due to the hard work and efforts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/if-china-someday-gains-a-more-fair-just-and-accountable-system-of/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [We'd always come into Syracuse for the Empire State Games and the stair fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beau-biden/we-d-always-come-into-syracuse-for-the-empire-state-games-and-the/)

[Beau Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beau-biden/)

## More by Haruki Murakami

> [I always feel like I'm struggling to become someone else. Like I'm trying to find a new place, grab hold of a new life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-always-feel-like-i-m-struggling-to-become-someone-else-like-i-m/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [If writing novels is like planting a forest, then writing short stories is more like planting a garden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/if-writing-novels-is-like-planting-a-forest-then-writing-short/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“The sad truth is that what I could recall in five seconds all too soon needed ten, then thirty, thena full minute...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/the-sad-truth-is-that-what-i-could-recall-in-five-seconds-all-too/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“Intelligent teenage girls were often instinctively theatrical, purposely eccentric, mouthing highly suggestive words to confuse people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/intelligent-teenage-girls-were-often-instinctively-theatrical/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [Memory is like fiction; or else it's fiction that's like memory. This really came home to me once I started writing fiction, that memory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/memory-is-like-fiction-or-else-it-s-fiction-that-s-like-memory-this/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [The most dangerous creature here would have to be me. So maybe I'm just scared of my own shadow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/the-most-dangerous-creature-here-would-have-to-be-me-so-maybe-i-m/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [If you listen to the radio for a whole hour there's maybe one decent song. The rest is mass-produced garbage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/if-you-listen-to-the-radio-for-a-whole-hour-there-s-maybe-one-decent/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“that one of our problems was our inability to recognize and accept our own deformities”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/that-one-of-our-problems-was-our-inability-to-recognize-and-accept/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“When I look back at myself at age twenty, what I remember most is being alone and lonely. I had no girlfriend to warm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-i-look-back-at-myself-at-age-twenty-what-i-remember-most-is/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“There's not a branch of publishing or broadcasting that doesn't depend in some way on advertising. It'd be like an aquarium without water. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/there-s-not-a-branch-of-publishing-or-broadcasting-that-doesn-t/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“One by one, I'll face the tasks before me and complete them as best I can. Focusing on each stride forward, but at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/one-by-one-i-ll-face-the-tasks-before-me-and-complete-them-as-best-i/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“Eleven o'clock had come and gone. I had to find a way to bring this conversation to a successful conclusion and get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/eleven-o-clock-had-come-and-gone-i-had-to-find-a-way-to-bring-this/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“Some people get a kick out of reading railway timetables and that's all they do all day. Some people make huge model boats out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/some-people-get-a-kick-out-of-reading-railway-timetables-and-that-s/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“When the time comes, everybody’s got to end up where they belong. Only me, I didn’t have a place to call my own. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-the-time-comes-everybody-s-got-to-end-up-where-they-belong-only/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [“You let something out of the bag before yourself knew what it was all about”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/you-let-something-out-of-the-bag-before-yourself-knew-what-it-was-all/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

[Explore all 2,928 Haruki Murakami quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

## More Fair quotes

> [We'd always come into Syracuse for the Empire State Games and the stair fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beau-biden/we-d-always-come-into-syracuse-for-the-empire-state-games-and-the/)

[Beau Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beau-biden/)

> [If China someday gains a more fair, just, and accountable system of government, it will be due to the hard work and efforts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/if-china-someday-gains-a-more-fair-just-and-accountable-system-of/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [“All fair in love and bonus round”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-charters/all-fair-in-love-and-bonus-round/)

[David Charters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-charters/)

> [Do not complain of life's unfairness. It is never fair - at best it is impartial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/do-not-complain-of-life-s-unfairness-it-is-never-fair-at-best-it-is/)

[David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/)

> [Our own distrust gives a fair pretence for the knavery of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-own-distrust-gives-a-fair-pretence-for-the-knavery-of-other-people/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> ['Vanity Fair' is a left-wing rag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/vanity-fair-is-a-left-wing-rag/)

[Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/)

> [Marylanders have led the nation in adopting a balanced approach to revenues and investments because we know that in order to maintain and build…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/marylanders-have-led-the-nation-in-adopting-a-balanced-approach-to/)

[Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/)

> [We did a 'Vanity Fair' spread for 'The Hunger Games,' and we were on set, and I saw a little head pop up from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-ludwig/we-did-a-vanity-fair-spread-for-the-hunger-games-and-we-were-on-set/)

[Alexander Ludwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-ludwig/)

> [It's encouraging to watch bipartisan leaders from different states recognize the need for fair and rational legislation focused on creating second chances for those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/it-s-encouraging-to-watch-bipartisan-leaders-from-different-states/)

[Michael G. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-rubin/)

> [There's nothing fair nor beautiful, but takes Something from thee, that makes it beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/there-s-nothing-fair-nor-beautiful-but-takes-something-from-thee-that/)

[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/)

> [I believe that free but fair trade is an absolute imperative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/i-believe-that-free-but-fair-trade-is-an-absolute-imperative/)

[John E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-james/)

> ['Fair' is, like, this incredibly overused term in negotiations: 'I just want what's fair.' 'What's the fair market price?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-voss/fair-is-like-this-incredibly-overused-term-in-negotiations-i-just/)

[Christopher Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-voss/)

> [“Sometimes I feel that the only concept of fairness in our society is creams like fair &amp; lovely or fair &amp; handsome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeroninio-almeida/sometimes-i-feel-that-the-only-concept-of-fairness-in-our-society-is/)

[Jeroninio Almeida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeroninio-almeida/)

> [When President Obama first came into office in 2009, I spent a fair amount of time in Michigan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-deese/when-president-obama-first-came-into-office-in-2009-i-spent-a-fair/)

[Brian Deese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-deese/)

> [I suggest you to do war but never love because in war either you live or you die. But in love neither you live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-suggest-you-to-do-war-but-never-love-because-in-war-either-you-live/)

[Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/)

[Browse all 1,541 Fair quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fair/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Life is basically unfair. But even in a situation that's unfair, I think it's possible to seek a kind of fairness.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Haruki Murakami"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/life-is-basically-unfair-but-even-in-a-situation-that-s-unfair-i/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Fair"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/life-is-basically-unfair-but-even-in-a-situation-that-s-unfair-i/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/haruki-murakami-21_justice_life-is-basically-unfair-but-even-in-a-s_1395762.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/haruki-murakami-21_justice_life-is-basically-unfair-but-even-in-a-s_1395762.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/haruki-murakami-21_justice_life-is-basically-unfair-but-even-in-a-s_1395762.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Life is basically unfair. But even in a situation that's unfair, I think it's possible to seek a kind of…” — Haruki Murakami",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Haruki Murakami",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Life is basically unfair. But even...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/life-is-basically-unfair-but-even-in-a-situation-that-s-unfair-i/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/life-is-basically-unfair-but-even-in-a-situation-that-s-unfair-i/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
