For me, being a good ancestor is about planting the right seeds and ensuring they grow in the best environment. In our current world, where so much feels distorted, I see Effective Altruism as tending to the branches: addressing urgent needs and correcting immediate harms. That work is vital — we can’t ignore suffering right in front of us.
But if we only tend the branches and never touch the roots, the cycle will continue. Problems will keep sprouting in new forms, because the deeper cause — human nature itself — hasn’t been addressed. Just like in a garden, if we plant weeds, it doesn’t matter how often we pull them out; they’ll keep returning and choking what could have flourished.
To me, being a good ancestor means not only solving today’s crises, but also cultivating the soil — reshaping the roots of who we are — so that future generations inherit a garden where goodness can grow more naturally.
For me, being a good ancestor is about planting the right seeds and ensuring they grow in the best environment. In our current world, where so much feels distorted, I see Effective Altruism as tending to the branches: addressing urgent needs and correcting immediate harms. That work is vital — we can’t ignore suffering right in front of us.
But if we only tend the branches and never touch the roots, the cycle will continue. Problems will keep sprouting in new forms, because the deeper cause — human nature itself — hasn’t been addressed. Just like in a garden, if we plant weeds, it doesn’t matter how often we pull them out; they’ll keep returning and choking what could have flourished.
To me, being a good ancestor means not only solving today’s crises, but also cultivating the soil — reshaping the roots of who we are — so that future generations inherit a garden where goodness can grow more naturally.