# Do you believe that we have the responsibility to make the world better? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 6, 2010, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-we-have-the-responsibility-to-make-the-world-better/542204 "2010-06-06T22:38:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Electric\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9de0a6/32.png) [@Electric\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Sky)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-we-have-the-responsibility-to-make-the-world-better/542204/41 "2010-06-08T10:20:29Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Kyla and Electric Sky–you sure about that? Do you want to qualify those statements in any way, perhaps by limiting them to those people who share your ideas about what would make the world better? Well, the people who _don’t_ share my idea about what makes the world better are just making it worse. Obviously. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-we-have-the-responsibility-to-make-the-world-better/542204/42 "2010-06-08T10:44:03Z")
… seems like an awful big task… no, I don’t think we can each and only stand the weight of the world. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-we-have-the-responsibility-to-make-the-world-better/542204/43 "2010-06-08T16:09:15Z")
This quote, from Norman McLean’s _A River Runs Through It_, comes to mind: “So it is that we can seldom help anybody. Either we don’t know what part to give or maybe we don’t like to give any part of ourselves. Then, more often than not, the part that is needed is not wanted. And even more often, we do not have the part that is needed. It is like the auto-supply shop over town where they always say, ‘Sorry, we are just out of that part.’” ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-we-have-the-responsibility-to-make-the-world-better/542204/44 "2010-06-08T20:13:06Z")
I’m not really sure I trust someone else’s idea of “better.” But we certainly should at least leave things as we found them, not worse. ---
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-we-have-the-responsibility-to-make-the-world-better/542204/45 "2010-06-09T02:44:14Z")
My parents taught me to always leave it a little better then you found it. For me this applies to everything, not just the world. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-we-have-the-responsibility-to-make-the-world-better/542204/46 "2010-06-09T04:58:48Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > …It makes no sense, for example, if a person who believes in a sanctity of life is murdered… Explain why this makes less sense than anyone else being murdered. I understand why it makes less sense for someone who believes in the sanctity of life to _commit_ a murder, but to _be_ murdered?? ---
**Author:** ![Dereknocue67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-we-have-the-responsibility-to-make-the-world-better/542204/47 "2010-06-09T09:13:50Z")
I voted no. I have a desire but not an obligation. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-we-have-the-responsibility-to-make-the-world-better/542204/48 "2010-06-09T09:28:46Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Yes, and yes. Making the world better helps everyone; it is both a matter of self interest and benevolence to do so. I’m only +1 this because the OP asked for it. I can say it longer, but not better. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2010, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-we-have-the-responsibility-to-make-the-world-better/542204/49 "2010-06-09T09:58:36Z")
I don’t think the world is in great shape at the moment, so I think we should try to improve it. For those who say it’s their duty to not make it worse, but not their duty to make it better - do you feel the world is in good shape at the moment? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-believe-that-we-have-the-responsibility-to-make-the-world-better/542204.md?page=2)