ktbr wrote:

Jose wrote:

Social engineering is never fair because it (by definition) treats some
people (or the activities they engage in) unequally (which isn't
'fair').



If it does so in a successful effort to mitigate a different source of
"unfairness", then the overall situation is "more fair". I agree with
you in principle, but I don't think that applying it as an absolute is
warranted.


The war on poverty has been going on for 40 years in the country.
Today there are roughly the same percentage of people living below
the 'poverty' line as there were back then. Has it been a successful
effort?

And for a lot longer than that in other parts of the world. I think
this sums it up pretty well - "For ye have the poor always with you...",
Matthew 26:11

Matt (not the same one!)