The first question was why isn’t everyone trying to change the world, with the underlying assumption that everyone should be.
Not everyone cares that much about “the world”, and that’s likely a good thing.
I would generalize the question, because the generalization applies broadly—whatever we profess to value, whatever we believe we value, why aren’t we expending more time and energy actually creating that value?
One answer that pops to mind runs against encouraging people to “save the world”—that caring about things beyond your control largely only prevents you from caring about, and thereby having the motivation to act, on things in your control.
“I would generalize the question, because the generalization applies broadly—whatever we profess to value, whatever we believe we value, why aren’t we expending more time and energy actually creating that value?”
Well, you value whatever you’re doing instead of going to the gym more than you value saving the world is what I was getting at. People value their own expected utility more than they value societal expected utility, even if most individuals in society would be better off if everyone somehow valued societal expected utility. Seems reasonably likely to me anyways.
Perhaps I misunderstood you; now it seems like you were saying “why do we hyperbolic discount?” or something to that effect.
Not everyone cares that much about “the world”, and that’s likely a good thing.
I would generalize the question, because the generalization applies broadly—whatever we profess to value, whatever we believe we value, why aren’t we expending more time and energy actually creating that value?
One answer that pops to mind runs against encouraging people to “save the world”—that caring about things beyond your control largely only prevents you from caring about, and thereby having the motivation to act, on things in your control.
Okay I’ll bite.
I’m not going to the gym because of the tragedy of the commons? I really don’t think that’s it.
Well, you value whatever you’re doing instead of going to the gym more than you value saving the world is what I was getting at. People value their own expected utility more than they value societal expected utility, even if most individuals in society would be better off if everyone somehow valued societal expected utility. Seems reasonably likely to me anyways.
Perhaps I misunderstood you; now it seems like you were saying “why do we hyperbolic discount?” or something to that effect.