![A philosophy webcomic about the inevitable anguish of living a brief life in an absurd world. Also Jokes](http://static.existentialcomics.com/title.jpg)
John Rawls and the Original Position
![Would people from other cultures imagine a society more similar to their system? Yes, but I come from the correct system, so I'm the one who is correct.
John Rawls: "Hey Wolff."
Robert Paul Wolff: "Hey Rawls."
Rawls: "I came up with a great thought experiment to find the perfect way to figure out the basis of society, i call it the “original position.†"
Rawls: "The idea is to come up with the rules of society behind a “veil of ignoranceâ€, that is, without knowing any facts about yourself, not even whether we will be smart or stupid, black or white, or what religion or ideas we will have."
Wolff: "Interesting."
Rawls: "That way we can design a society from no one's point of view. A society that a is just and fair for all."
Wolff: "Alright, let's give it a try."
Both together, rubbing their temples: "thinking, thinking, thinking..."
Rawls: "It turns out society should be pretty much the same! Except we should tax rich people like 6% more."
Wolff: "Wait...what? That's it?"
Rawls: "Yeah, rich people will still more or less run things, but we'll tax them, so it will still help the least favored overall. Why, what did you come up with?"
Wolff: "I thought we should have a classless society without hierarchies where everyone works together in freedom and cooperation."
Rawls: "No, that's wrong."
Rawls: "People aren't willing to bear the risk of disruption to change things that much."
Wolff: "I mean, sure...tenured professors aren't, maybe."
Rawls: "Nah, I'm pretty sure my intuitions are universal."](http://static.existentialcomics.com/comics/JohnRawlsandtheOriginalPosition.png)
Would people from other cultures imagine a society more similar to their system? Yes, but I come from the correct system, so I'm the one who is correct.
Permanent Link to this Comic: https://existentialcomics.com/comic/350