The concept of “fair”

As a starting point for our discussion, here is the definition of “fair” as an adjective - from the Oxford Languages Dictionary - “impartial and just, without favouritism or discrimination.”

When I mediate, in fact in my early screening meetings, I am often assured by the person I am speaking with that they “only want to be fair”. Sometimes, the comment is made in a pleading way, with a measure of frustration that efforts made so far to settle have brought no results. Why is that the case, the person asks - after all, what I am proposing is nothing other than “fair”.