I have a question.
"Sunnyside could be cool and groovy if we treated each other fair."

This is from "toy story 3." Sunnyside is a daycare where toys live. The speaker is one of its ruler's subordinates. He is standing up to the ruler who treats them unfairly.

--Sunnyside can be cool and groovy if we treat each other fair.

I made up this sentence. What's the difference between them? Is it just the difference in certainty?

Question

I have a question.
"Sunnyside could be cool and groovy if we treated each other fair."

This is from "toy story 3."   Sunnyside is a daycare where toys live. The speaker is one of its ruler's subordinates. He is standing up to the ruler who treats them unfairly.

--Sunnyside can be cool and groovy if we treat each other fair.

I made up this sentence. What's the difference between them? Is it just the difference in certainty?

Answer

In the original, Sunnyside is already not cool or groovy.  The speaker is talking hypothetically about a different situation he would like to see.  There is not a high probability of change at the moment.

In your sentence, the context is a realistic future which you are planning.  If we do something different now, then the future will be different.

Answer

Michael's answer was fine, no need for me to give one! However just a quick comment: treat each other fairly is more "correct," and definitely looks better in writing. However in informal speaking we often break this rule and use an adjective.

Answers · 3

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