Whilst extensively discussing elections and politics over the past few months, Maru introduced me to a thought experiment called ‘The Veil of Ignorance’.
Imagine if you could re-design society from scratch.
You have the pen, and you decide how everything works. Justice. Wealth distribution. Education. Healthcare. Human rights. All of it.
But there’s a catch.
You must stand behind the Veil of Ignorance.
The veil prevents you from knowing who you’ll be—and what role you’ll play—in this society. It places you in a position where the fair and just decision for all is also your best interest.
Although the Veil of Ignorance is an impossible experiment at a societal level, perhaps we can use it to make fairer decisions in our teams, workplaces, and among our family and friends.