Because it helps the human race maximize their collective potential. Imagine how many Einsteins we've had over the millennia, there may have been hundreds/thousands of them but they never had the chance to shine because they were born a serf or a slave.
It doesn't have to be 100% fair, but being somewhat egalitarian produces better results for everyone on the economic scale.
>> It doesn't have to be 100% fair, but being somewhat egalitarian produces better results for everyone on the economic scale.
Why did you perceive my question to be anti-egalitarian?
I understand that a more equal society == better collective potential. BUT, our whole species (and life on this planet) is based on inequality. It started right from evolution (other animals got extinct) and it goes on until today because not all genes are equal.
Now this doesn't mean that we shouldn't remove/reduce artificial barriers to equality but we gotta realize that inequality is inherent. What makes humans awesome is that we have a brain and can strive for the collective good.
What is collective good? Is it denying handicapped people a livelihood? Is it ostracizing the mentally ill?
Personally I believe that our striving for advancement is something that's deeper than our daily brain-oriented struggle. Our evolution is being driven at the cellular level, so we don't need to translate that into attempting to personify an egotistical concept of progress.
Does your idea of fairness only apply to monetary issues?
If some good looking but dumb guy is getting too many partners, should the government/society try to level the playing field to allow the smart but socially inept guy to make some more "Einsteins?"
If you solve the monetary issues then those things are within an individuals control to a certain extent and at worse can be mitigated. Ugly people can have plastic surgery or tooth realignment if they can afford it, or the can work out enough to either become good looking or compensate. The socially inept can learn to be more social.
Those are choices for individuals though, not society as a whole. Society doesn't decide the attributes you were born with, but they do decide if your money has any real value.
What makes you think anything should be fair?