The Race of Life: Fairness Beyond the Finish Line

Ashkan Farhadi

Abstract

This essay explores life as a metaphorical race, not of competition or outward triumph, but of deeper principles that redefine effort, victory, and fairness. Beginning with a dream in which the finish line recedes endlessly, it argues that life’s race is governed by laws beyond speed and success. Effort, grounded in causality, becomes both the path and the proof of progress. Yet true victory does not lie in possessions themselves but in the happiness they generate—an inner prize that remains possible even without possession. Finish lines may be visible to spectators, but the true finish lines are determined by personal perception rather than external applause. Fairness emerges in the ability of each individual to define success and to discover their own “happy medium.” The essay further emphasizes the interdependence of collective joy, the impartial role of chance, and the inevitability of death as the ultimate equalizer—spreading fairness in a life often judged unfair by those who measure it only through inequality. Together, these dimensions reveal that life’s fairness does not rest in equal outcomes, but in universal principles that make happiness both the prize and the measure of the race—the true currency that offsets inequality and creates a level field for everyone to harvest the fruits of effort and resilience.

A Dream

I once dreamt I was running in a race. With every stride and every breath, my speed increased. Yet, as I surged toward the finish line, I realized it was receding, moving farther away from me. At one point, I even saw myself running ahead in the distance, away from the finish line, as if I were chasing my own shadow.

The Race of Life

Life is often likened to a race, but the metaphor is usually framed in terms of competition, speed, and individual triumph. If we look closer, however, the race of life is governed by different principles — principles that reshape the meaning of effort, redefine the finish line, and even transform the idea of victory itself.

1. The Value of Effort

In this race, effort is indispensable. Speed, natural talent, and determination all increase the odds of success. True to the law of causality, every step of effort carries weight, whether visible or hidden. Just as the body withers without exercise and the mind declines without engagement, life itself loses meaning without energy and sacrifice. Effort becomes both the path and the proof, making the race of life unfold on a fair ground for all participants.

2. The Prize as True Happiness

The race of life does not end with a single finish line, but with many — each one marking an achievement. Unlike ordinary races where trophies or possessions symbolize victory, here the only authentic prize is happiness. Even when material success is pursued, its worth lies in being exchanged for the currency of joy. Possession without joy is hollow; accomplishment without peace is incomplete. Fairness resides in shifting the prize from outer trophies to an inner state accessible to all.

3. The Visible versus the Hidden Finish Lin

Though the tracks of life are marked with obvious milestones, the true finish lines remain invisible — existing only in the mind of the runner. The ultimate referee is not the crowd of spectators but the self, who alone can decide whether a finish line has truly been crossed. For some, the finish line lies not at the end but along the way. Those blindly chasing conventional success may even drift farther from it. What looks like triumph to one may appear meaningless to another. Fairness here lies in recognizing the subjective nature of victory, where success is measured not by applause but by inner fulfillment.

4. The Design of the Happy Medium

Most possessions and values are pursued under the hedonistic illusion that “more is better.” Yet reflection reveals the fallacy of excess: even virtues like love and kindness, when unmeasured, can become burdensome and counter constructive. The real question is: Who decides the sweet spot? Each person is the ultimate judge, drawing their own finish line for every goal. What one considers completion may be far too little — or too much — for another. Here, fairness lies in the freedom to determine one’s own balance, one’s own “happy medium.”

5. Collective Happiness

This race cannot be won alone. Our lives are woven together, making one person’s happiness inseparable from another’s. A runner who crosses finish lines while leaving others behind will soon discover that joy cannot flourish in isolation. The fairness of life rests on this interdependence: personal joy expands only when collective joy is nurtured. A lone champion may accumulate victories, yet find themselves wandering in the wilderness of unmet human needs — for love, recognition, and belonging.

6. The Role of Chance

No runner controls the conditions of the track. A twist of the ankle or an unexpected obstacle can derail the strongest competitor. Chance is impartial and universal, humbling those who cling to the illusion of control. By scattering unpredictability across all participants, chance itself becomes a form of fairness. It ensures that life’s race is not dictated solely by the powerful, but remains open to reversals, surprises, and new beginnings.

7. Death as the True Equalizer

Every runner, no matter how swift or strong, eventually reaches the same absolute finish line: death. Its timing is uncertain, but its certainty is universal. Death serves as the great equalizer, reminding us that the true meaning of the race is not how far we run, but how we run — with effort, with compassion, and toward happiness.

Conclusion

The race of life is fair not because it rewards speed, strength, or possessions, but because it is structured on deeper principles: causality, effort, subjectivity, balance, interconnection, chance, and mortality. Its fairness is revealed in this truth: happiness is both the prize and the measure — attainable only through striving, sharing, and embracing both unpredictability and limits.