Stimulus Checks & The Veil of Ignorance

How do I decide what is ethical? And just as importantly, what will make me feel warm and fuzzy about my decision? It's not always easy, but my favorite ethical principle for trying to figure out such things is John Rawls’ social contract, The Veil of Ignorance. It's based on the following thought experiment:

Imagine you are creating a society, but you know nothing about yourself, and have no idea what your place in this society will be. You don't know if you will be a man or woman, tall or short, rich or poor. You do not know your race, your social status, sexual orientation, if you will have any disabilities, etc. To quote Rawls, “no one knows his place in society, his class position or social status; nor does he know his fortune in the distribution of natural assets and abilities, his intelligence and strength, and the like.” Everything about you is behind the veil.

In this society, should people without a sense of smell be allowed to leave their house? Well, I might end up not having a sense of smell, and I would possibly like to leave my house… so that is not a society I would want. Should all people with brown hair be thrown into the ocean? Well, I might end up having brown hair, and I don't want to be thrown into the ocean, so that would not be in my society either. 

More seriously, should gay people be allowed to get married? Should women have the right to vote? Should the color of your skin determine where you are allowed to live? All of these questions are easily answered via The Veil of Ignorance.

While I don't think there is a perfect ethical principle that works in every situation, The Veil of Ignorance has served me well to bring clarity to many (not all) difficult ethical dilemmas and social issues.

This brings me to a very current issue: the upcoming government stimulus checks.

My understanding is that because it was pushed through so quickly, there was little consideration given to who gets it and who doesn't. Regardless of speed, the government cannot possibly figure out who still has a job, who has a spouse that still has a job, who lost their job but won the Powerball last month, etc. As a result, there are many people who will receive the check who don't need it. I am one of those people, as I am lucky enough to still have a job with a steady paycheck. But many people, especially in the service-sector, aren't so lucky. Your barber, barista, bartender, handyman, massage therapist, personal trainer, server, etc. may nervously be hoping this passes before they are no longer able to pay their bills or buy food for their kids.

If I was creating a society, would I create one in which house cleaners were unable to pay their bills because of a global pandemic? When the veil was lifted, I could find that I was one of those house cleaners… so my answer is no.

But we do live in that society. As such, I will be doing a very small amount, and giving my stimulus check away. I want it, but I don't need it. If you are lucky enough to be in a similar situation, I encourage you to do the same. I realize how self-righteous this sounds, and posting this will certainly come off as “look how generous I am.” So be it.

Of course, if I wanted to pick holes in my argument, I'm sure it would be easy enough.* But I would have to ask myself: am I truly concerned about ensuring the argument is flawless from every angle, or am I just trying to justify keeping money I don't actually need? The answer would obviously be the latter. 

I am NOT saying that if you currently have a job and don't give your stimulus check away that you are making an unethical decision. Only you know your situation—and this stimulus check could come as a huge lifesaver, despite still being employed. But if you are in a situation where you don't need the money, seriously consider if it would do more good by going to someone who may not be able to pay their bills at the end of the month.

If you have ever complained about economic or wealth inequality, here is your chance to put your money where your mouth is. If you have ever argued that equality isn't good enough—we need equity, here is your chance to help balance the scales. If you have ever mocked the “thoughts and prayers” mentality, here is your chance to do something that actually helps. If you have ever railed against the failures of capitalism, here is your chance to show that you can resist the greed that drives it. Heck, if you have ever been frustrated about government handouts, now is your chance to reject it by giving it away, proving that your bootstraps are doing just fine.

But despite my moralizing, there is also a personal benefit to giving your stimulus check away. Research from both “correlational and experimental studies have shown that people who spend money on others report more happiness.” What better way to cure the quarantine blues than doing something that makes you feel warm and fuzzy? But don't take my word for it, try it and see for yourself :)

WWJD? (What Would John [Rawls] Do?)

*"I should keep my money. While I have a job now, with all of the uncertainty in the world, I'm not sure what will happen in a few months." But the people who currently don't have jobs are not sure what is going to happen next week. So this argument doesn't do much for me.