week13.html

<title> CS349 Spring 2019: Robert McInvale</title>
<h1 style = "font-size:300%;"><b> Robert McInvale CS 349 Blog</h1></b>
<h2 style = "font-size:200%;">Week 13 - Building a Better World</h1></b>

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I suppose the topic for this week is license to spend a few hundred words talking about the ways in which we can all come together and help our communities, our country, and our planet to ascend to some higher state, and perhaps brag about a few of the activities we get involved in that make us feel good about ourselves. However, if I can be brutally honest here, I sincerely doubt that any level of ideological thinking or small, part-time contribution, even on an aggregate level, is enough to qualify as “building a better world.” Yes, there are people who have managed to radically transform the political landscape of the world (see Gandhi), and those who, by some estimates, have saved a majority of humanity from death by thermonuclear war (see Stanislav Petrov<sup>1</sup>). Yet these individuals are rare, and even the average doctor (a profession many would regard as one of the most impactful in terms of creating a better world) has significantly less of an impact than most doctors would expect - and today, the number of doctors per person in many places is so high that the absence of any particular physician or surgeon has effectively zero impact, primarily due to the availability of other doctors to replace them.<sup>2</sup> <br><br>
So, even in the case of literally life-saving professionals who have dedicated their careers to improving the lives of others, it’s rare to find someone who can make a truly significant difference in the world at large. Most of us will not be revolutionary activists, CEOs, presidents, or soldiers in charge of the big red “nuke” button. The majority of us will honestly never dedicate more than a few hours a week to some token activity or charitable cause that may - or may not - actually make a difference.<sup>3</sup> Honestly, though: I’m fine with that. 
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If it turns out that I can’t personally achieve any particular grand, ideological goal, or even make a serious contribution to one in my lifetime, I’ll settle for treating the people around me like humans and call it a life. I’ve been part of enough environments and communities that were hostile to me (some in subtle ways, others in very overt ones) to know the value of avoiding groupthink and mob mentality, and if I can keep my own personal social circles out of those sandpits, I’ll be happy. Don’t get me wrong, though - I’m not trying to say that contributing to or participating in a charity is a bad thing. I’m not saying that people shouldn’t toss their paper into the recycling bin instead of the landfill. In fact, I may just be a jaded, pessimistic old fogey, and everyone has a capability and a duty to change the greater world more than I think is feasible - or maybe we should focus on making sure that we’re the best we can be in own little worlds first.

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<sup>1</sup><a href = "https://www.vox.com/2018/9/26/17905796/nuclear-war-1983-stanislav-petrov-soviet-union">https://www.vox.com/2018/9/26/17905796/nuclear-war-1983-stanislav-petrov-soviet-union</a><br>
<sup>2</sup><a href="https://80000hours.org/career-guide/how-much-difference-can-one-person-make/">https://80000hours.org/career-guide/how-much-difference-can-one-person-make/</a></br>
<sup>3</sup><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/learnvest/2012/12/14/why-your-charitable-donations-probably-arent-doing-much-good/#2f10c5ce4278">https://www.forbes.com/sites/learnvest/2012/12/14/why-your-charitable-donations-probably-arent-doing-much-good/#2f10c5ce4278</a><br>