Many feel society is unfair but struggle to articulate this rationally. John Rawls, a 20th-century American philosopher, offers a model to identify unfairness and propose solutions. Witnessing poverty, personal tragedy, and WWII's horrors inspired Rawls to use ideas to change the unjust world, leading to his impactful work, "A Theory of Justice" in 1971.

Rawls argued that despite rhetoric about individual ambition, statistics clearly show radical societal unfairness. He recognized the corrosive influence of the 'American Dream' narrative, which he saw as a political tactic to avoid necessary societal reform rather than a reflection of widespread opportunity. Rawls aimed to provide a clear way to demonstrate this unfairness and inspire action.

To address the complacency of those benefiting from injustice, Rawls proposed the 'veil of ignorance.' This thought experiment asks us to imagine being conscious before birth, unaware of our future circumstances (parents, neighborhood, schools, healthcare, legal system). From this position, we would contemplate what kind of society would feel safe to enter, exposing the risks of current societal structures.

Applying the 'veil of ignorance,' participants would logically desire excellent schools, functional hospitals, fair legal access, and decent housing for all. This experiment reveals that we instinctively know what a fair society looks like, resembling countries like Switzerland or Denmark. It pushes us to objectively consider resource allocation, prioritizing the well-being of the most vulnerable.

Rawls's framework is adaptable, recognizing different societal issues (e.g., pollution vs. education). The 'veil of ignorance' serves as a powerful, simple tool to critique existing societies. A truly fair society would be one where, even from a position of imaginary ignorance before birth, we would not mind what circumstances we were born into, highlighting how much progress still needs to be made today.