Do you feel you've done anything to make the world a better place

In My Humble Opinion
1

Meaning, the world is better off for having you in it and when you’re gone the world will be more aligned with whatever goals you consider laudable?

To me, the most important thing a person can do is contribute to innovation in science, technology and medicine (especially contribute to machine intelligence as that will make the other things easier to achieve). I haven’t done anything with machine intelligence, but I do have a STEM degree and work in a field related to my degree. As a secular humanist, I vote according to my values.

In my mind, most of the social reforms we have experienced in the last few centuries (the anti-bigotry, anti-sexism, anti-cruelty, anti-authoritarianism, etc) stems from the economic changes brought about by science and technology. Most social reforms were post industrial revolution so to me supporting science and technology will indirectly speed up social reform.

I try to be a decent person but fail quite a bit for various reasons. In a world this large it is hard not to feel irrelevant though.

Where do others stand?

2

Yes…but, oh, by such a small, small margin!

3

I voted ‘‘unsure.’’

My role in making the world a better place would revolve primarily around facilitating dialog and empathy so people can better understand and support one another in the community at large. This requires tackling a lot of different social issues. In my view, this facilitation would ultimately result in increased activism and concrete policy changes to help people at a disadvantage.

But my big moral question is less, ''What is my actual, measured impact?" and more “Am I using my full potential?”

By actual, measured, impact, I do all right. I’ve raised over a million dollars at this point, over the span of my career, toward various causes that are doing work I feel is important to their communities. Now, I also got paid to do that, so there’s an obvious benefit to myself as well. But for the sake of the discussion, let’s say the benefit to oneself is irrelevant.

But when I ask myself, ''Am I using my full potential?" the answer is a resounding ‘‘no.’’ If we assume that everyone’s capacity to make the world better is an equal 100 units, I’m using maybe 40-60 of my units at any given time. Kind of pathetic. There are a ton of things I opt not to do that I could choose to do and increase that impact even more.

So by my own standards, I kind of suck.

But maybe we also have to consider the depth of impact as well as breadth. I know I make the world a better place for my husband in a profound way. I know I’m good for my friends. I think that’s where people usually focus their efforts. If we narrow my potential units to include only making my husband’s world a better place, I’m probably hitting 90. With friends? 70 or 80.

I’ve long had this nightmare, even though I’m not religious, that at the end of my life I will end up at the foot of someone’s throne, and they will inform me that I have done everything wrong in life, that I didn’t try hard enough, that I could have done better. To me the sum value of my life is looking back at the end and being able to say, ‘‘I did all I could.’’

It’s no small secret that I’ve struggled with mental health. There are times the world seems unbearably cruel to me, and my terror of having terrible things happen has made me wish I was dead. There are times I’ve talked myself out of suicide because it felt like I would be abandoning mankind. Almost like going AWOL on a mission. You don’t leave your brothers and sisters behind. So maybe there is even some victory in making it to the end without giving up entirely.

4

Nope.

I’m a tremendously unambitious cog-in-the-wheel and any infinitesimal positive effect I may have had on any other particular individual is easily swamped out by the enormity of life. It’s like homeopathy - a picoliter of occasional goodwill dropped in an ocean :D.

This doesn’t bother me at all - like I said, I’m unambitious ;).

5

I voted Yes because I’ve invented things that help the environment, computers, rescue workers, and other things. I’ve worked in social justice a little, especially LGBTQ rights and helping people transition genders. We rescue cats (I’m petting my third diabetic as I write).

Spice Weasel, big congratulations on talking yourself out of suicide. I’ve been noting your posts for years now, and you’ve always seemed totally splendid. I believe you should stay alive; I hope you live a long long time, for the world’s sake, and happily, for yours.

6

I didn’t reproduce. My crazy genes die with me.

7

Thanks. I haven’t been suicidal in a couple of years, and I’m sure it’s entirely coincidental that two years ago I also

ended my relationship with my mother.

Thanks for the great work you do. I don’t know why I’m so much harder on myself than other people. It’s stupid. It’s also difficult because I have a lot of peers who do the social justice stuff and they seem to have boundless energy and goodwill and enthusiasm and I’m all crumpled in a corner going, ‘‘I need a break now.’’ I think it’s important to surround yourself with people who humble you. And believe me, they do.

8

I don’t know. I try to be a decent person. I’m trying to raise my kids to be kind and empathetic. Other than that, it’s probably a wash. I spent a lot of my career in the non profit world, where I feel like I helped do some positive things. I worked in disaster relief for 3-1/2 years. I guess I helped people there. I was a volunteer firefighter for a few years. I didn’t do a lot there. After that I was a back office IT guy in various other non profit organizations. Then I went over to the Dark Side, where I make more money but don’t do anything particularly ennobling. For two years I’ve been an adjunct professor at a public university. I feel like I’ve helped my students prepare for their careers. I think I’ve been a good teacher, and I’ve always tried to be dedicated and patient with my students. The university is mainly a commuter school, and a lot of lower income students go there. I like to think I help them.

On the other hand, I don’t really give to charity, even though I can afford it. And I don’t really do any volunteer work anymore. So I feel like a selfish rich prick most of the time. And I keep wondering why I helped bring children into such a fucked up world.

I guess on the whole I’ve done slightly more good than bad. I dunno. I always fixate on my shortcomings.

9

I voted yes. I help children in other countries attend school. Maybe one or more of them will do something global. I try to raise my kids right, hopefully they will make a bigger difference. My lack of global influence to make the world a better place is a failing I think about every day.

10

“Better place” as judged from whose viewpoint?

11

The OP’s question has two components: Have we made the world a better place, and when we’re gone will the world be more aligned with our goals?
On the 1st part; I think so, yes, if only by a tiny bit, and still very much a work in progress…really only a tiny bit.

About the 2nd part - I find it quite doubtful; most causes that I support tend to be losing causes, at least in the short term. Maybe I will cause those causes to not lose as badly as they would have otherwise, but I think for the short term I will be fighting a losing fight.

12

Some of the research work I did years ago contributed to the development of some new classes of medications to target therapy in certain cancers. So yeah, I think I made a difference. It was a tiny cog in the machine contribution, but it took some creative thinking by a lot of people to make it happen.

And I’ve contributed significantly to charitable causes that have done good things to relieve suffering.

13

Don’t know, don’t care. I just try to keep my little corner of it in good order. I’m not responsible for the whole world.

14

I voted yes but I really don’t care about the whole world just my little bit. I’ve madethe lives of my friends better and ive helped dozens of people make thousands of people very drunk. That’s all the good I’m trying to do and i succeed every day.

15

I have raised 3 responsible and loving children. I have volunteered and worked with kids and kid related endeavors for years. After my Mother died I helped raised my younger sibs, they are all productive members of society. I have helped with my in-laws as they were bedridden for 2 years. I have had a teeny tiny impact on the arts. And mostly I have tried to conduct myself with kindness and concern for others, so as to not cause anyone any pain.

16

Yes. We do an anonymous weekend backpack lunch program for some elementary school kids (17 this year) whose families are in dire straits. If even a few of them are able to be better students because they are getting nutrition on non-school days, and are able to rise above where their parents are now, then we have improved the world, if only by a small amount. We also do Kiva interest-free micro-loans to 3rd world entrepreneurs, mostly women and mostly in Africa.

17

Can I sit over here?

I voted unsure because I spawned a couple of kids, and who knows what the result of that will be. As for myself, I haven’t done shit. I’m just riding along.

18

Well, I haven’t discovered the cure of cancer, but I have some decent published research, I know I’ve had a positive impact on a surprising amount of kids’ lifes (well, most are adult now), I’ve done things like change the minds of a bunch of abuelas about SSM (do not underestimate the power of abuelas in a Hispanic culture) and there have been many situations at work where I was able to come up with a way of doing things which meant less work for better results. There have been things I’ve done that I should have handled better but I do think the overall balance comes up pretty decent. Of course I could be wrong by a zillion miles re. the balance, but I can only act on the information I have.

19

I made kids, which is problematic environmentally, but I’m generally kind and they have turned into kind people. my wife and I are currently the unofficial guardians of two unrelated 17 year old boys (friends of our bio kids) who would otherwise be homeless and/or regularly beaten. They’re every bit as messed up as you’d expect given their upbringings, but the spouse & I chose to take on that uncertainty rather than leave these young people to their own survival devices. A secondary hope of ours is that they learn some value in showing kindness & generosity to those in need and maybe spread that around when they have the means and opportunity.

In a world of billions, it’s difficult to make a significant impact one way or another. But I don’t know anyone who lives in a world that big. My world consists of maybe a hundred people, and I do what I can to make life better for us/them. To me, that’s good enough for a Yes vote.

20

I don’t have much that is tangible to share; I’m just a mediocre dude. However, in almost every interaction I have with people, I will be as positive as I can. I treat everyone with dignity and respect (until they show they don’t want that). I often leave them laughing, too.

And I don’t waste anyone’s time. That is most certainly leaving the world a better place.