A Theory of Justice

In a nutshell Rawls viewed the"primary goods" that people in a society need as wealth, opportunity and power. "Among the essential features of this situation is that no one knows his place in society, his class position or social status, nor does any one know his fortune in the distribution of natural assets and abilities, his intelligence, strength, and the like" (Rawls 200). To a certain extent, I was able to grasp the general concepts that Rawls was referring to in terms of justice and fairness. However, I did get caught up in the wording of the essay. I don't know if it was just me, but while I was somewhat understanding what he was saying, I found myself focusing more on the words than the ideas behind the words. This basically tells me that I have a hard time identifying with Rawls particular style of writing. While it's very straight to the point, it's still not entirely clear for me. One of the things that stood out to me the most about this reading was actually found in the introduction before the reading. Jacobus summarizes Rawls beliefs in terms justice/fairness for individuals versus society as a whole. "Above all, Rawls believed that justice must be fair and that the rights of the individual should never be sacrificed for the greater good of society. Personal freedom insofar as it did not impinge on the freedom of others was one of his most sacred values. Underlying all these ideas is the insistence that people are equal and should be treated equally" (Jacobus 196). When I read this all I could say was "WOW!" This was so astonishing to me, because all one ever hears about justice and fairness is in terms of the greater good. In other words whats best for society as a whole and not the individuals themselves. Yes, this was definitely a shock to read.

Jacobus, Lee A. A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. 7th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martins. 2006. pp. 195-198.

Rawls, John. "A Theory of Justice." A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. 7th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martins. 2006. pp. 199-204.