I often wonder how different my life could have been. What if I’d been born in a village without electricity, or under a regime where speaking freely was dangerous?

Our birthplace is completely out of our control and yet determines so much about our lives. Recognizing this poses a powerful question:

Can we create a world where birth matters less and potential matters more?

Today, technology and changing social norms offer paths to reducing some of these harsh inequalities.

Our moral responsibility, as entrepreneurs, leaders, and everyday people, is to weaken the impact of this cosmic lottery and broaden opportunities for everyone, everywhere, to lead fulfilling lives.

This essay explores exactly how we might achieve that.

Technology shrinks the world (sort of)

We live in the most prosperous and connected moment in history. Even the poorest people in the world now own smartphones and laptops, offering global access to information, entertainment, and remote job opportunities. In places like Nairobi’s "Silicon Savannah" or Lagos's vibrant startup scene, young entrepreneurs collaborate online with partners around the globe.

Remote work has dramatically leveled the playing field. A skilled graphic designer in Southeast Asia, a programmer in West Africa, or a content strategist in Latin America can now easily work with companies based thousands of miles away, earning wages linked to wealthy markets. Online education platforms such as Coursera, Udemy, and edX allow individuals from rural or less prosperous areas to learn from top professors without the costs or exclusivity of traditional universities.

But digital access alone isn't enough. Many places still suffer from poor infrastructure reliability and political instability. Even the most talented people struggle against corruption, nepotistic hiring practices, and fundamentalist regimes. Technology can reduce geographic luck - but only when supported by stable governance and personal freedoms.

Moral luck and rethinking responsibility

Reflecting on the role birth circumstances play in shaping our lives raises critical questions: What do we truly control, and what do we owe to luck?

The concept of moral luck shows how often we praise or blame people for outcomes largely shaped by genetics, upbringing, or local culture. Many who succeed might have struggled if born into harsher conditions, while those who fail could have thrived elsewhere.

John Rawls imagined designing society from behind a "veil of ignorance" - without knowing our future status, skills, or wealth. From that viewpoint, we’d surely prioritize fairness, creating safeguards against birth disadvantages. For business leaders, recognizing moral luck can mean adopting skills-first hiring, robust training programs for less privileged employees, or setting up operations in overlooked areas.

Understanding moral luck also calls for humility and empathy. Acknowledging how luck has contributed to our successes can motivate us to open doors for those less fortunate, without diminishing individual effort or ambition.

Trust, corruption, and other barriers to meritocracy

Despite technology's potential, severe barriers remain for those living in developing countries:

Corruption and Rule of Law: Corruption drains resources, deters investment, and cripples infrastructure. Entrepreneurs face bribery, extortion, and unstable legal systems, undermining efforts even when digital pathways exist.

Fundamentalism and Social Constraints: In many regions, ideological or religious extremism severely limits opportunities. Even completely digital opportunities may not fully shield individuals from harsh local realities or punishment.

Nepotism and Elitism: Personal connections frequently override talent and merit, causing skilled individuals without influential networks to lose opportunities in education, employment, and funding. Though online presence can mitigate some forms of nepotism, structural barriers in banks, courts, and government remain formidable.

Technology alone won't dismantle these barriers - it must be combined with improved governance, ethical standards, and social reforms.

Practical paths towards fairness

Creating a fairer society isn't only about technology - it requires practical steps from businesses, leaders, and everyday individuals:

• Champion Meritocracy: Ensure fair hiring with transparent job postings, skills-based assessments, and clear paths for internal promotion.
• Cast a Wide Net: Look for talent outside of your normal hiring pool. The talent-gap is forever shrinking. Taking advantage of that is a massively positive-sum game.
• Invest in Education and Mentorship: Small investments in mentorship, education and access compound in the long-run.
• Combat Corruption: Promote transparency, support whistleblower protections, and demand the same in your partners.
• Strategic Philanthropy and Micro-Investments: Fund grassroots ventures, collaborate with microfinance programs, and explore community ownership and profit-sharing models.

Moving beyond luck

Technology, paired with ethical leadership, can continue to open doors previously closed by geography, repression, or poverty. Every fair hiring decision, honest transaction, scholarship, or mentorship pushes society closer to one where birth circumstances matter less, allowing individual potential to flourish.

Ultimately, acknowledging our shared vulnerability encourages a commitment to fairness - not just philosophically but practically. With a different roll of the dice, any one of us might have been born into hardship. Recognizing this should inspire us to help build a world where luck matters less, and human potential matters more.