On the previous page I gave examples of particular inactions that we can take to make the world a happier place. Here I'm going to talk about actions -- there are lots of constructive actions we can take too. (For every inaction there is an equal and opposite action?)
You've probably already heard all sorts of ideas about things you can do to solve human problems. You've seen books like Fifty Simple Things You Can Do To Save The Planet. You've gotten fliers asking you to recycle. You've had charities call requesting your money. Those calls to action are all good, but I sometimes feel they're simply not enough. Someday I'd like to write a book called Fifty Much Harder But More Significant Things You Can Do To Prevent Human Misery. Probably wouldn't be a best seller.
Here's a quick list of things that you can do to build a
brighter future.
- Read. Write. Think. Discuss.
- Make a list of actions you can take to make the world a happier place.
- Adopt unwanted children.
- Volunteer at a local non-profit organization.
- Teach yourself about the world, and then teach others.
- Write a letter to your friends -- tell them what you think.
- Listen to your friends -- consider what they have to say.
- Work hard, and work effectively.
- Make more money than you need.
- Need less money than you make.
- Invest money in social solutions -- contribute to organizations that are solving problems.
- Think about the long-term, far-reaching implications of your actions.
- Question authority. Question assumptions.
- Keep asking why.
Take an active interest in energy conservation. Some acts of energy conservation cost money or require sacrifice, but many are painless and free. With some you can even turn a profit. Have a look at what I've written about compact fluorescent lightbulbs on the following pages. Replace your incandescent lightbulbs with compact fluorescent ones -- it's a simple, easy, profitable step toward a better world.
Create value, don't make money. When you win a bet in Las Vegas you make money, but not by providing a useful service to anyone -- you don't create value. When you rescue the neighbor's cat from a tree you don't make any money, but you do solve a real problem -- you create value. Look at your job. Do you solve real problems? Do you create value, or just make money? What can you do to create more value?
"If somebody had told me that I would become Pope one day, I would have studied harder."
-- Pope John Paul I
"If I had only known, I would have been a locksmith."
-- Albert Einstein
The Bottom Line
Don't get tricked into thinking there's nothing you can do to
change the world. There's a lot you can do -- simple things for
starters, and harder things for later on.
