“What starts here changes the world” is a slogan you have likely heard many times at UT. Many universities call upon our generation to bring about global change. While this is certainly inspiring, it’s not the most effective way of motivating students — it may even engender feelings of nihilism. Instead of pushing students to immediately accomplish world change, institutions should encourage students to take a step by step approach to saving the world.
At first glance, “changing the world” seems like a harmless call to action. However, the daunting task of solving every world problem can actually be quite overwhelming, leading to a nihilistic sense that nothing can actually change or matter.
“It’s really hard to improve things. It’s really hard to change people’s minds even when you think that they should (have a different opinion). It’s really hard to make a mark in ways that actually matter, ” said assistant professor of philosophy Daniel Drucker. “For a lot of people, I suspect (feelings of nihilism) come from the most ordinary cause of it, like frustration and pessimism that come from seeing lots and lots of failed attempts to make things better.”
This underlying feeling of nihilism not only de-motivates students from engaging in more ambitious initiatives, but it can also harm their mental well-being.
“I think for most people, it’s depressing. I think most people, if they come to be nihilistic, they have a harder time getting motivated to do things,” said Drucker.
Fortunately, there’s a way to both combat this distress and still work to improve society. The key to doing good in the world without being overwhelmed is to get specific.
“I think there’s a real value in trying to stay oriented in doing good and trying to do something that’s immediate and that can actually really help,” said Robert Paine, government senior and Effective Altruism organizer.
Effective Altruism is a global movement that advocates for doing the most good in the best way possible, holding practicality and efficiency as key values. The ideals of Effective Altruism can be applied to our generation as a whole. If students center their efforts in straightforward ways, they can support their communities. Rather than only focusing on large-scale concerns, students can be more productive in their efforts.
“Sometimes, the thing that is the most good is not going to be the most intuitive,” said Paine.
When students are creating these solutions, it’s crucial that they prioritize the practical good their work can do. Paine provided an example of how sometimes the strongest solution can be overlooked. He mentioned how although a charity that trains guide dogs for the blind may seem very helpful, an organization that provides cataract surgery is actually a much more productive way of supporting the blind. The more direct and specific a goal is, the more impact it makes. By being precise about the actionable steps you take towards an objective good, more can be accomplished.
Additionally, by focusing on immediate ways in which you can do legitimate good, you can improve your mood and worldview.
“It is very hard to feel that nothing matters when you are concretely benefiting someone, especially if they’re in front of you,” said Drucker.
By seeing the tangible benefits individuals get from your work, it will help you believe that it’s possible to do some good in this world.
So while it can feel overwhelming to deal with all of the challenges facing our world, it’s important to remember: we’re not doomed, we just have a really long to-do list. So with that, pick a problem and get to work.
Stark is a chemical engineering freshman from Orange County.