Ask HN: How can I do something meaningful?

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Re: Ask HN: How can I do something meaningful?

#161

Post by sundeep_b » Wed, Aug 24, 2011, 7:37 AM UTC

Everyone wants to do something to make their life meaningful. The time that takes to discover that something is the most crucial of times and the deciding factor of what we are going to do. For example, I want to invent something that makes life easier and probably do few patents around it. The question is 'where do I start?'. There are innumerable fields that I can choose among and do my research.Having realized that it is a very long term goal, I started to dig to see which field can bring the spark in me. I might probably reach to a conclusion in five years, but I will. That's only an example.

You have mentioned that you would like to start a nonprofit of your own. So do I and most of our friends here. The question again is where do I start? Then, there are innumerable ways that help can be passed. We have to start digging as to what, when existent now, can do the delta the world needs.The simple answer here is to start helping in all ways you can - volunteer and meet people. Charity Water also didn't start within a week. The man left his life and joined a charity organization(Mercy Ships), met people and got to know their problems - It all fit in a line, but took several years of hardship to him, but at the end lies all the satisfaction, right?. Then he has seen a solution and found the best ways to fill it.

One wise man said that "Every great idea is the result of a moment's inspiration". True and in addition I feel that every great organization is the result of hours of hard work on that idea. So, what you have felt is inspiration and what you need is time to find your great idea and then start working on it. Good Luck!

Re: Ask HN: How can I do something meaningful?

#162

Post by maxharris » Thu, Aug 25, 2011, 9:43 PM UTC

indrax wrote: post #78

xenophanes wrote: post #60

Step 1: learn about what is and isn't meaningful, instead of uncritically assuming altruistic morality is true and devoting your life to doing what is "meaningful" according to some other people. Be your own guide instead of just assuming charity = meaningful. Read Atlas Shrugged.

I cant stand libertarian equivocation on the meaning of 'selfishness'. If your 'ethics' is predicated on not putting a high personal value on the wellbeing of others, you are the problem. If your 'selfishness' is seeking the fullness of your values while recognizing this needs to be reciprocated and you happen to not be a psychopath, good.

Definitions are not simply a matter of taste. They aren't validated by popularity, or authority, and we're individually responsible for the definitions we hold: each of us is the ultimate authority on definitions, in a sense: we each bear the responsibility for our own conceptualizing.

But that doesn't mean that concepts or definitions are subjective. Quite on the contrary: in order to be correct, definitions have to be induced from reality, just like like any true scientific concept (such as momentum, for example). The purpose of a definition also has to be kept in mind: definitions are what we use to mentally distinguish one concept from another.

Once you understand the above, you can see why it's really sensible to take the Objectivist stand on the word "self."

And for the same reason, you can see why we had to take words like "gay" and "queer" away from the bigots, who used them as epithets to smear hatred on good people. The bad rap that selfishness has with the culture today smears everyone. I think it's high time we fought back.

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