Be on the side of right

Everyone gets very confused about what their responsibility is in a horribly broken world. What makes a difference? How good do I need to be? When am I pulling my weight and when I am part of the problem? How can I do something that is meaningful without having to martyr myself?

I think there is a simple rule of thumb that if we all followed we could rest assured we were doing "enough." This rule of thumb is "be on the side of right." Practically speaking this means being on the "good" side of the majority with regard to issues that you are aware of, and seeking to be aware of the key issues of our world. This is actually quite simple to do. Whatever you think that "everyone" is doing, or that the majority of people in the world or country are doing, just be a little bit better.

If everyone who gave a damn did this, we would create a subtle but important pressure on the average case, bending it in the right direction. As the average case moves in this direction, you do just that little bit extra that keeps you ahead of the pack. And when people could see you doing something that was not too hard and that gave you satisfaction, they would be attracted to do the same. In this way, we create a virtuous cycle that moves us faster and faster in the directions we need to go.

Here is a simple example.
* Offset you carbon dioxide. Right now this is pretty cheap to do through Terrapass, etc. Yes, it is not a solution, but you are doing something, addressing the "low hanging fruit". When all that fruit is gone, we aim a little higher in the tree. No problem, especially because at that time we should have the tools and understanding to know how to get that fruit easier than if we tried to get it from the beginning. For example, this might be by buying 100 MPG car when they become available. Or putting solar panels on your roof.

Another way to frame this, if you prefer is "put yourself where your joy meets the world's need." This may seem different but is similar. Think of it this way. Where am I willing devote the most energy, on a sustainable basis? In those activities and areas where you get intrinsic joy. And what does the world need now? There are many, many areas where the world needs our help. So buy chosing the spend your time, energy and talent where your joy intersects with the world's needs, you are doing the most you, uniquely, can for the planet. The beautiful thing about there being so many people on the planet is that there are people, quite different from you, who are interested in doing all those things you don't want to do. Isn't that wonderful? So stop feeling ashamed, lazy, guilty, depressed, etc. Let your light shine in your corner of the world. When we all do this, the world will blaze in the light of our collective passion.

Finally, remember: change generally does not happen linearly: it happens expoentially as feedback reinforces the change that is already happening. This means that even little things today can add up to big things tomorrow. Do what you can today. Be a good guy. Spend your time where your joy meets the world's need. Be on the side of right.