By a large margin, respondents to a recently concluded poll chose fairness, equality, and social justice as higher values than material comforts.

Four out of five people who selected an answer said they’d give up some comforts if that was necessary to live in a society where the rules of conduct are the same for all.

Only 9% of IEET readers gave the opposite answer, while 11% challenged the premise of the question, and said “the system already is fair.”

Are you okay with having a separate set of rules for the privileged few? To live in a society that values fairness and justice, would you give up some comforts?

Here are some other answers that were submitted:

• We can have fairness and abundance for all.
• Unless you’re quite rich now, it’s a false dilemma.
• Need more detail about the levels of each factor.
• Depends on the degree of redistribution.
• The system is already biased toward the wealthy.
• How about equality AND abundance?
• Anarchy.
• Fairness and equality is more likely to give me a higher standard of life.
• As if there were an alternative.
• No separate rules, would give up some comforts, depends on how many.
• Equality of opportunity is desirable, equality of results just hurts everyone.
• I shall rule.
• What a ridiculously loaded question!
• A balance is necessary to produce stability.
• I would go for N1, but it would be far too easy for it to mutate into fascism.
• This is a false choice. Luxury is not dependent on exploitation.
• I choose a modified number two: all of the benefits AND abundance as well.
• Creating more is more important than spreading it around.
• In life there must be Ducks in order for there to be Eagles. Both are needed.