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Underrated ways to change the world
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Underrated ways to change the world

How to get a good heart unstuck

Adam Mastroianni
Experimental History, 2024
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Visionary
  • Concrete Examples
  • Inspiring

Recommendation

Humanity faces existential threats on several fronts — climate change, nuclear warfare, AI, ecological collapse, and so on. While many people would like to volunteer their time and resources to make the world a better, safer place, they don’t know how. When inaction festers, good intentions die, usurped by excuses and cynicism. Social psychologist Adam Mastroianni identifies the crux of the problem and offers seven offbeat approaches that ordinary people can put into practice in order to scratch their itch to save the world. 

Summary

The path to improving the world is not binary.

Many people assume there are two ways to secure lasting, positive change in the world:

  1. “Go high status” — Get extortionately rich and throw money at the problems facing humanity, as only the wealthy can invoke change.
  2. “Go high sacrifice” — Sell all your possessions and live an ascetic life dedicated to your cause, as only the virtuous can effect change.

These routes to change are not wrong, but they exclude the idealistic, altruistic masses who wish to contribute. However, anyone can prompt change via a “righteous road less taken.”

Have the courage to be the “second-bravest person.”

When a scandal surfaces — such as the revelation that a Hollywood producer has been sexually abusing actresses or an executive has been embezzling corporate funds — people always wonder why no one spoke out. The truth is someone always speaks out. A victim or a witness confides in a friend. If you are that confidant, elevate the matter. Be brave enough to act or tell someone else in the pursuit of justice...

About the Author

Social psychologist Adam Mastroianni writes a blog called Experimental History.

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