6 of My Ideas on Improving the World
Updated: May 11
A Vision for Progress
Obviously, the world is far from perfect and likely never will be. Even if it will be, the irony is that the lack of challenge will make it retain its imperfection. Either way, the lack of perfection doesn't mean we should abandon our efforts to improve it in our own unique ways. If such visions clash, that's the natural consequence of sharing the same space, resources, and air. In the arena of a true democracy, most, if not all, voices deserve to be heard. That's whether or not they are if not universally embraced.
Here is but of my many contributions to you; 6 of my insights that could improve the world:
1. Beyond First Impressions: The Dangers of Hasty Judgment
We are prone to leaping to conclusions and generalizing about people based on limited information and a lack of reflective thinking. Seeking further details through research can prevent false assumptions and the spread of misinformation online. By taking a moment to learn more, and question the current limits of our understanding's competency, we indirectly benefit others by avoiding perpetuating inaccurate narratives. Resisting the urge for instant gratification in this regard is crucial, as this urge can prevent us from inquiring further beyond our first impressions of something.
Since we are all imperfect, that may also include our ability to judge things more objectively. Actually, being subjective beings, it's very likely that our different subjective biases will mislead our own understanding, thus leading to false, hasty judgements.
Why then, assume without question that our ability to judge reality in a competent way? After all, hasty judgements have their own problems:
Reduction of being useful in a cooperative setting. Correct estimations of what we need to do is the key to overall effectiveness in an organization.
Miscommunications that could've been solved if we simply sought to confirm what we understood (Hence why we should ask for confirmation, far more frequently, in the name effective communication).
Increase of emotional pain in more-emotional-invested settings (like in relationships). Heartbreaks, in fact, have an effect on our health. The reduction of hasty judgements can, therefore, relieve us of many physical and mental ailments!
When haste judgements can lead to so much suffering, and even death, of either ourselves or others, haste indeed "stems from the devil.
The same hasty judgement can apply to ourselves as well. Misconceptions about ourselves, as in the example of megalomania, can overestimate what we really are. Would we prefer to be lied to, even if by ourselves? Or would we prefer to understand the truth about ourselves, so we will better know, what we're truly capable of?
If we think we're nice people, we might even delude ourselves, that we were nice, at times we were not nice. The self, indeed, is a host of contradictions, but I digress.
Hence, per se, "the hastiness is from the Devil".
2. Pleasure's Deception: Beyond the Feel-Good Factor
The alluring feel of something doesn't guarantee its actual benefit, hence the absurdity of fun. Examining beyond the immediate pleasure can reveal the true impact of an action, especially concerning addictive substances. Ignoring this could lead to a cycle of counter-productive desire. Many lives have been can be ruined by prioritizing the temporary buzz over long-term consequences. Gambling, for example, can ruin lives, and not only financially, all in the name of its rushing thrill.
This reminds us that our senses can be deceptive, regardless of our circumstances and level of intelligence. As such, we shouldn't blindly follow our senses, nor our intuition, when they can mislead us. And yes, intuition can backfire.
Even in business, emotion should be left at the door. Business plans can be poorly made if they are emotion-based, because the long-term effects of logic renders the competency of your emotions inferior and short-sighted. The fact that you feel something, doesn't mean it should be done (or avoided, for that matter).
Therefore, to make better decisions, we must become more logical beings. Should we overestimate our logical reasoning, we might make poorer decisions than otherwise. As such, we must improve our reasoning in order to make it a reliable feature.
Now, to avoid confirmation bias on your end, I'll add that it's important to use emotion from time to time, as in the case of empathy, to those who need it. And indeed, empathy can be taught, and should be taught, in the name of making this world a better place.
3. Courageous Voices: Speaking Up in a World of Opinions
Voicing our opinions, even when facing potential ridicule, is essential in a world that champions freedom of speech. Therefore, we could say over-sensitivity stands in the way of a truly liberal society, where the dependency on trigger warnings, does not compromise the value of exchanging ideas.
After all, the allowence of liberty does not oblige us to care for the sensitivity of others, when they can work on themselves and take criticism in a professional way. And as I discovered, in this age of content delivery (opinions included), over-reliance on emotions can be a sign for weakness.
As such, the existence of cancel culture is a threat to freedom of speech. One opinion shouldn't be less legitimate than another, not as something that depends on social validation, at the very least. Being a philosopher obliges you to philosophize regardless of these social risks, so if you're interested in being a philosopher, or already are, be prepared.
Silencing dissent through shaming (a common feature in cancel culture) undermines the very foundation of a democracy, where people are allowed to protest, and not only in the streets against their government, but also against one another. We can strive to create an environment where diverse viewpoints are respected, not excluded, no matter how much we oppose them (and their presentors) emotionally.
After all, it is through the exchange of ideas and opinions that we can have a chance at better understanding reality. For the philosopher, ideology is a tool, not a goal or a brand. As such, philosophy and ideology are not the same.
Perhaps, the one exception to the freedom of speech is incitements. After all, most of us would like to express ourselves, not encourage genocides.
4. Beyond the Norm: Embracing Diverse Paths to Fulfillment
Romance and children are not prerequisites for a fulfilling life, as much as it may surprise some of you. They are merely options on a spectrum of possibilities, and the conventional path doesn't guarantee success for everyone. In fact, the orthodox ways of lives can unnecessarily be a stressful burden on some.
Individual flourishing depends on finding the lifestyle that resonates with our unique needs and aspirations. This is one of the reasons Maslow's heirarchy of needs deserves to be criticized. Furthermore, personal choices, unless demonstrably harmful, should be free from unwarranted interference or judgment.
For me, philosophizing is worthy of restoring my debt to the very field that saved my life. Do I expect you to agree with me? Of course I don't. We are shaped by difference experiences, interactions and realizations.
5. Letting Go: Releasing the Grip of Anger and Past Discomfort
"Worrying grants a power/influence to the very things we worry about" - John Duran
Life presents plenty of opportunities to feel anger and stress, but we shouldn't reduce our inner peace on minor annoyances, especially past events and even minor discomforts. Our emotional energy, like a battery, is finite, leading to stress and exhaustion. As a philosopher I aspire to be stressed and exhausted on what I believe deserves my concern.
Let's invest our energies wisely, like a swordsman during a swordfight. Do consider doing nothing and thinking: "What should I let go and what I shouldn't? What would be practical to let go of, and what wouldn't be impractical to be too concerned about?"
Respect your energies. Don't waste them all in one place that won't yield you any results. Like with money, you should invest your energies in things that deserve your attention, AKA, things that would actually yield something meaningful.
Don't give power to things that do not deserve to be given power to.
6. Cultivating Joy: Remembering the Good and Cherishing the Present
Amidst life's challenges, cherishing moments of peace, happiness, and satisfaction is equally important. Consciously reflecting on positive experiences can significantly improve our mood and overall well-being, as positive thinking does in general. Whether through journaling, thinking on those who are dear to you -- actively remembering precious moments and people becomes a powerful tool for combating negativity and fostering joy in our lives.
Final Words
Thank you for taking the time to read. If you agree with my points, consider sharing this article for a larger exposure. Perhaps it could make the world, to whatever degree, a better place to live in.
Mr. Nathan Lasher's Feedback
This shall be unlike any review I have done. I’m going to tell you how each idea relates to me:
Hasty judgements -- My [position on] hasty judgment is a little two sided as I understand how humanity works. Is it hasty that I judge people as only having lower/average intelligences? You [can] reach a point where you are intelligent enough that you can quickly scope an individual's intelligence. I just automatically assume that it is around average. [I've] yet to meet anyone who has clearly more intelligent than I am, [so I] think I have every right to pass that hasty judgement.
On the other hand, if one refers to average intellect individuals' [point of view], then I agree that they should not pass hasty judgements. I believe a few wars have been started because of this. Examples are as follow: the Pig War, where the death of a pig led to a confrontation over evicting an entire American population on San Juan island during its British occupation. Another example is the American-Mexican War, avoidable by President Polk's ability to negotiate with Mexico over disputed territories(AKA Texas), instead of using aggressive manouvers.
“Haste” is a relative and subjective thing. A minute to me has my brain processing a huge amount of information. Haste should be a question one should answer. Is haste nothing more than faster than normal? I posses the ability to make quality harsh judgements. [However, they]are pretty spot on [regardless].
I disagree with the idea of intelligence can’t aid in us processing sensations better. [People with] higher intelligence are less likely to be effected by emotions. As i’m smart enough to not give into pleasures, since my intelligence started to express itself, I have had less of a desire to gamble. [Gambling is done] for the rush. [However, I can get] A rush I get from reviewing articles and letting my creativity get nurtured [instead]. I believe it is all about giving into the right pleasures: Productive pleasures. Emotions can give people a reason for living. They are super important at adding quality to life. [I believe] Life is all about finding the right things to get that good feeling from: Healthy emotional expressions.
4. Personal experiences shape the person you are. If you want to be a certain type of person, then you must have experiences which a person like that would have. Your actions dictate who you are. Funny how that works. [If] you want to be a nice person you should practice doing nice deeds.
5. If you ever want to let go it can be done with a really simple step: Does what you want to let go off play any important part of your future? Worrying about the past is pointless because there is no way we can change it. Our time is better spent focused on the future which teaches us all we have is the present moment. Your present moment determines your future. Sit on your coach and try to mow the lawn: You can get rid of worry by taking actions of one who solves that problem.
6. We should find the things which make us happy and find other experiences which can repeat that emotion.
