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Ask HN: What can you do today that will be significant in 1000 years?

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Re: Ask HN: What can you do today that will be significant in 1000 years?

#51

Post by conductr »

sndean wrote: post #35

Most won't like this answer. I think people dislike the idea of a nobody impacting world history. But, if I take "today" to mean literally one day, sadly I think assassinating a world leader is one of the few ways to significantly impact the world 1000 years from now. (An example [0]). It would have to precipitate a major event though (something like a world war). [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gavrilo_Princip

Also sadly - my initial thought was something similar... time bomb with a 1000 year fuse.

Re: Ask HN: What can you do today that will be significant in 1000 years?

#54

Post by craigsmansion »

Contribute to Emacs.

And I'm only half joking. If any pieces of software we use now are actually going to be used in 1000 years, Emacs is very high on my list of survivors.

In a million years? Architect the intelligence that supplants us? (unless that intelligence turns out to be Emacs, then see answer 1)

Re: Ask HN: What can you do today that will be significant in 1000 years?

#55

Post by HiroshiSan »

marktangotango wrote: post #39
dougmwne wrote: post #18

I've answered this question for myself. I work in support of environmental protection and sustainability. In a thousand years maybe we will still have a habitable Earth with diverse species and people living on it to appreciate our effort to make it endure. Though I suggest even if you narrow your time horizon to the lives of your children you'll still find some worthy things to do with your life.

You kind of skipped over it, but I’ve solved this by transferring the gift I received, by having children of my own, and raising them in a warm loving environment, teaching them empathy and kindness. I posit this is a worthy thing in itself.

You sound like a wonderful parent.

From my point of view, life is suffering and until you can justify passing that suffering down, having children is a purely selfish desire.

Re: Ask HN: What can you do today that will be significant in 1000 years?

#56

Post by darkmighty »

ewretgg wrote: post #13

Chances are, you won't be remembered in 1000 years. And you'll be too dead to enjoy it if you are. Are you sure you have come to terms with that? Lots of people I meet here are obsessed with "making their dent in the universe" and I think some of it is driven by the fear of death. That said, if you just want to better the lives of future generations, there are plenty of things you can do now. Give money to good cause…

> And you'll be too dead to enjoy it if you are. Are you sure you have come to terms with that?

Honestly, I don't think it's all that easy to rule out valuing the future beyond death, or to categorically reject notions of continuation of identity beyond death. That we are a coherent, super defined identity that has a definite beginning and a definite ending is in large part a convenient, and comfortable, myth we tell ourselves. In reality ourself from moments ago is a (slightly) different being, and you from many years ago, say from your childhood, is an almost completely different being, not only physically but a completely different mind. I don't think most people have come to terms with this either (which is understandable imo because those concepts are very tricky to interpret in a non-nihilistic way); while this truth give perspective as to why other forms of propagating your impact in the world and on other people that go beyond just your future self are perhaps justified. That the continuation of part of your identity in your work, teachings, children, friends, beyond your death can be "rational".

Ultimately I think (and so seems your position) one of the main motivations people should have is to simply have a good, happy, meaningful life themselves (where meaning isn't fame or grandeur). But, again "rationally" (in a classical economic-ish sense), there's definitely a big place for helping other people and building a legacy imo, as previously justified and based on ethical principles like the Categorical Imperative[1]. Of course if everyone were singularly concerned with helping others, no one would be reaping the fruits of labor, then what would be the point of help? That's why the one's main motivation should always be your own happiness, whatever that even means.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categorical_imperative

Re: Ask HN: What can you do today that will be significant in 1000 years?

#57

Post by ewretgg »

darkmighty wrote: post #56
ewretgg wrote: post #13

Chances are, you won't be remembered in 1000 years. And you'll be too dead to enjoy it if you are. Are you sure you have come to terms with that? Lots of people I meet here are obsessed with "making their dent in the universe" and I think some of it is driven by the fear of death. That said, if you just want to better the lives of future generations, there are plenty of things you can do now. Give money to good cause…

> And you'll be too dead to enjoy it if you are. Are you sure you have come to terms with that? Honestly, I don't think it's all that easy to rule out valuing the future beyond death, or to categorically reject notions of continuation of identity beyond death. That we are a coherent, super defined identity that has a definite beginning and a definite ending is in large part a convenient, and comfortable, myth we tell…

> Honestly, I don't think it's all that easy to rule out valuing the future beyond death

Never said it was easy. It can take years of reflection. I'm suggesting the OP do that. Their life will be a lot more pleasant and fulfilling once they do that. Otherwise, they may spend their whole lives fruitlessly chasing after immortality.

Re: Ask HN: What can you do today that will be significant in 1000 years?

#58

Post by ewretgg »

HankB99 wrote: post #28
ewretgg wrote: post #13

Chances are, you won't be remembered in 1000 years. And you'll be too dead to enjoy it if you are. Are you sure you have come to terms with that? Lots of people I meet here are obsessed with "making their dent in the universe" and I think some of it is driven by the fear of death. That said, if you just want to better the lives of future generations, there are plenty of things you can do now. Give money to good cause…

Do you need to be remembered to be significant? I consider them to be two different things. For me the answer to both is to do what I can to have a positive impact on those around me. I consider my efforts as a scout leader to be the most likely thing I have done to affect our future, though I doubt I will be remembered much beyond the next generation.

You don't need to be remembered to be significant. I'm trying to see if the OP knows the difference.

I think it's great your a scout leader. It will help shape the lives of children who will outlive you. And you're doing it out of a healthy desire to help others, and not a vain quest to secure your fame after your death.

Re: Ask HN: What can you do today that will be significant in 1000 years?

#59

Post by dogma1138 »

Cthulhu_ wrote: post #43
acheron wrote: post #17

Judging by https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1018 , the answer is "lead a battle" or "found an abbey".

That does make me wonder how many of the buildings we build today will still be around in 1000 years. How does steel and concrete compare to (frequently restored / repaired) brick and mortar (said abbey) or just brick (the artificial mountains that are the Pyramids)?

Almost none and it’s not (Only) because of the construction method.

Today buildings are cheap which means that there is no incentive to keep them around until they become historically significant.

That 1000 year old abbey on a hill somewhere likely used to be the only masonry building for 100s of miles for a good chunk of its history and by the time masonry buildings became cheap enough to be mass produced to be considered a commodity it has gained sufficient historical value to be preserved for it.

It’s also interesting to think about historic property laws.

Land ownership is relatively a new concept and in many places you still cannot wholly own the land.

In the past you often couldn’t tear down a building and build a new one as you would lose well essentially your squatting rights.

Today however land is just as much of a commodity as ahytbing else which adds another factor that can against the value of the building.

Re: Ask HN: What can you do today that will be significant in 1000 years?

#60

Post by garettmd »

I agree with a lot of people here that there's a distinction between doing something significant and being remembered for it. Addressing the latter, though, I think it's kind of a waste of time. Many here are pointing out certain inventions or innovations or constructions or whatever from 1000 years ago that people today appreciate. But I would venture to guess that 1000 years ago those people wouldn't have thought the same of those accomplishments. My point being that people 1000 years from now will value things differently than we do, so it's really impossible to say what "thing" you could do today that people would give a crap about in 1000 years.
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