Being vocal in local politics. Volunteer in schools to teach children about history, democracy and technology. IMO there are two criteria’s to be a true citizen: 1) not afraid to speak out in public and push back, and 2) be a scientific person
I come from Mexico, where millions of people walk and take public transport every day. Unfortunately, poor infrastructure and our mobility culture hurt pedestrians the most. Sometimes people have to wait several minutes just to cross a street. Years ago, a teacher told me that giving way to pedestrians was a simple action to make the world better. It makes a real difference for those who don't have the privilege of being in a car. This stuck with me, and I try to do it whenever possible. It might not apply everywhere with better infrastructure, but I find it to be a small yet meaningful action.
People want to feel loved, safe, respected and happy. To make the world a better place start with yourself and make sure you make those things a priority with whoever you interact with.
Pick up trash you see on the ground. Does not need to be a huge “adopt a highway” style thing. Just pick up that bag on the ground near the bin and put it in the bin.
Not only does this make the place cleaner, people watching this may get the warm fuzzies that someone else actually cares.
Another thing is to ask employees at stores how their day is. You don’t need to have a full conversation, sometimes people just have nobody ask them this question and it helps.
Go vegan. You will no longer be apart of horrific animal abuse, the leading cause of biodiversity loss and deforestation, and if done correctly, will likely improve your health. You won't be able to get so much good from doing one thing.
Do you know if there are food tracker apps that can incorporate a n emissions style tracker into food planning and eating? For example is it better to opt for imported sardines or for locally grown chicken? I imagine the answer varies.
Give at least one person per day — whom you otherwise wouldn’t — a few words of genuine and specific appreciation. Friend, family, coworker, stranger. Doesn’t matter.
This is a great idea!Like I move around a lot in various online communities, I always Encountering all kinds of comments.Please support the comments you think are right, I think this can increase the confidence of the publisher and also makePlease support the comments you think are right, I think this can increase the confidence of the publisher and also make yourself feel happy.When more and more excellent speeches are encouraged, the world will become a little bit better.
Be an organ donor. Donate blood on a regular basis. Skeptoid had a podcast today that talks about blood donation with some interesting tidbits about shelf life of platelets and whole blood. (5 days vs 42 days)
Just talk to strangers and be kind. Compliment people. Let service workers know when they’ve done a good job. Walk around your neighborhood and meet your neighbors.
If you're interested in donating and being reasonably assured that your money isn't getting the Worldvision treatment, I highly recommend checking out "Giving What We Can" [1] and "GiveWell" [2].
I'm not a fan of the things proposed by 80000 Hours or other smartest people. There's a lot of people who said that AI would be the most important thing to work on, and those people ended up using AI for evil in the end.
Plus it assumes that survival or suffering are the highest priority things, but there's a lot more other things like community and civilization.
Trying to make the world better for others has been a losing battle and one not worth fighting either. People are automatons. They have their own desires and irrational behaviors.
So I just focus on my own happiness.
Global warming? I’ll optimize to live on coastal California. It should be 60-75F beautiful sunny days until the day I die.
Insane politics? I’ll live 2800 miles away around hippies and liberals. I don’t need to watch the news.
Things getting expensive? Make more money so it doesn’t affect me.
People are suffering everywhere? Dawg I’m suffering too, so I’ll believe in something irrational so it doesn’t affect me.
Maybe not what you wanted to hear. But I’m a realist and wasted a few years of my life trying to think of those things. Ultimately, it’s not worth it. I’ll support things that make sense and I don’t eat meat or drive a gas guzzler. What more do you want?
When you ask your titular question you’re already in a minority of the population.
Many people continue to make dumbass decisions that affect everyone else in negative ways. I would love to slap them back to their senses, but that’s not allowed.
Being vocal in local politics. Volunteer in schools to teach children about history, democracy and technology. IMO there are two criteria’s to be a true citizen: 1) not afraid to speak out in public and push back, and 2) be a scientific person
Give way to people crossing the street.
I come from Mexico, where millions of people walk and take public transport every day. Unfortunately, poor infrastructure and our mobility culture hurt pedestrians the most. Sometimes people have to wait several minutes just to cross a street. Years ago, a teacher told me that giving way to pedestrians was a simple action to make the world better. It makes a real difference for those who don't have the privilege of being in a car. This stuck with me, and I try to do it whenever possible. It might not apply everywhere with better infrastructure, but I find it to be a small yet meaningful action.
People want to feel loved, safe, respected and happy. To make the world a better place start with yourself and make sure you make those things a priority with whoever you interact with.
Pick up trash you see on the ground. Does not need to be a huge “adopt a highway” style thing. Just pick up that bag on the ground near the bin and put it in the bin.
Not only does this make the place cleaner, people watching this may get the warm fuzzies that someone else actually cares.
Another thing is to ask employees at stores how their day is. You don’t need to have a full conversation, sometimes people just have nobody ask them this question and it helps.
Recently posted here on HN and well worth a look:
Underrated ways to change the world, part II
https://www.experimental-history.com/p/underrated-ways-to-ch...
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46873494
Part I is at
https://www.experimental-history.com/p/underrated-ways-to-ch...
Go vegan. You will no longer be apart of horrific animal abuse, the leading cause of biodiversity loss and deforestation, and if done correctly, will likely improve your health. You won't be able to get so much good from doing one thing.
Maybe a nice halfway point would to be vegetarian...
incremental steps like reducing or eliminating beef consumption by substituting less water intensive meat (e.g. chicken / turkey) are also helpful
Do you know if there are food tracker apps that can incorporate a n emissions style tracker into food planning and eating? For example is it better to opt for imported sardines or for locally grown chicken? I imagine the answer varies.
This is a fair strategy.
Give at least one person per day — whom you otherwise wouldn’t — a few words of genuine and specific appreciation. Friend, family, coworker, stranger. Doesn’t matter.
Just be the change you want to see in the world.
Work and take care of your family.
This is a great idea!Like I move around a lot in various online communities, I always Encountering all kinds of comments.Please support the comments you think are right, I think this can increase the confidence of the publisher and also makePlease support the comments you think are right, I think this can increase the confidence of the publisher and also make yourself feel happy.When more and more excellent speeches are encouraged, the world will become a little bit better.
The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best is now.*
*But also make sure you water, stake and prune it for the first 3-5 years.
Be an organ donor. Donate blood on a regular basis. Skeptoid had a podcast today that talks about blood donation with some interesting tidbits about shelf life of platelets and whole blood. (5 days vs 42 days)
(Disclaimer: the site I hacked for myself to help me consume podcasts) https://spokengoods.com/podcasts/385078-skeptoid/mic-d-up-br...
Plant trees.
Just making the world better is the simplest thing that might work.
highest return-on-efforts ways to make the world a better place for as many people as possible?
“Return” is for your ego. So is “as many people as possible.” Good luck.
Exactly this. It compounds. I like how someone said go vegan, but really "eat less beef" works just as well.
Just talk to strangers and be kind. Compliment people. Let service workers know when they’ve done a good job. Walk around your neighborhood and meet your neighbors.
Be kind. Create beauty.
Donate to causes you care about.
Volunteer your time.
Adopt an animal that otherwise might be euthanized.
Pick up litter.
Be nice to strangers.
https://www.effectivealtruism.org/ at scale. Kindness, listening, time, and financial charity to those around you at the microcosm level.
If you're interested in donating and being reasonably assured that your money isn't getting the Worldvision treatment, I highly recommend checking out "Giving What We Can" [1] and "GiveWell" [2].
- [1] https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/best-charities-to-donate-to-...
- [2] https://www.givewell.org/charities/top-charities
Better known as "charity" among people that don't need their egos stroked.
This has been quality answered many times by smartest people but nobody cares.
Take Kant for example and go improve yourself, as the only part of the world you can really change.
I'm not a fan of the things proposed by 80000 Hours or other smartest people. There's a lot of people who said that AI would be the most important thing to work on, and those people ended up using AI for evil in the end.
Plus it assumes that survival or suffering are the highest priority things, but there's a lot more other things like community and civilization.
I make the world better for myself everyday.
Trying to make the world better for others has been a losing battle and one not worth fighting either. People are automatons. They have their own desires and irrational behaviors.
So I just focus on my own happiness.
Global warming? I’ll optimize to live on coastal California. It should be 60-75F beautiful sunny days until the day I die.
Insane politics? I’ll live 2800 miles away around hippies and liberals. I don’t need to watch the news.
Things getting expensive? Make more money so it doesn’t affect me.
People are suffering everywhere? Dawg I’m suffering too, so I’ll believe in something irrational so it doesn’t affect me.
Maybe not what you wanted to hear. But I’m a realist and wasted a few years of my life trying to think of those things. Ultimately, it’s not worth it. I’ll support things that make sense and I don’t eat meat or drive a gas guzzler. What more do you want?
When you ask your titular question you’re already in a minority of the population.
Many people continue to make dumbass decisions that affect everyone else in negative ways. I would love to slap them back to their senses, but that’s not allowed.