treebeard
Member
- Jan 16, 2018
- 317
- 173
Why does it seem better to only focus on yourself and your own personal growth rather than to help others grow, who will in turn be able to contribute more to society?
Example:
The situation can be, someone asks me to teach them how to patch holes in concrete/blacktop.
For the sake of the thought experiment consider that there are two options. Option one being, I can decline to help the person in question learn this new skill so that I have more time to focus on my own skill-set. Option two being, I can choose to help this person learn the basics needed to start repairing concrete, blacktop, etc.
Now on first inspection it seems best for myself if I just keep focusing on my own progression and my own skill-set; the less time I lose helping others, the further and further my own knowledge grows.
However, consider option two. In teaching someone else the rudiments of repairing concrete/blacktop I have now started a chain-reaction that may not be as easily foreseeable as the benefits of focusing on only myself.
In teaching someone else this skill-set there will be a ripple effect of change that is far greater than could have ever been initiated by just my own skill-set. Now that someone else posseses these skills perhaps there will be less potholes around town, a new company can arise giving more job opportunities, and perhaps this person will continue to pass on the skill-set. Maybe everyone eventually knows how to repair concrete through this chain effect. Now there is less damage to the infrastructure of the town, people have to repair cars less, the economy may grow due to an increase in people with a valuable skill-set, etc.
In helping others it seems to have a longer lasting and more widespread effect than could have been possible if it were just me repairing concrete.
What are your thoughts? Is it best to focus on yourself and your own personal growth or is it better to assist others when possible and help spread knowledge/skills/etc?
Edit because i miss-clicked and submitted lol
Example:
The situation can be, someone asks me to teach them how to patch holes in concrete/blacktop.
For the sake of the thought experiment consider that there are two options. Option one being, I can decline to help the person in question learn this new skill so that I have more time to focus on my own skill-set. Option two being, I can choose to help this person learn the basics needed to start repairing concrete, blacktop, etc.
Now on first inspection it seems best for myself if I just keep focusing on my own progression and my own skill-set; the less time I lose helping others, the further and further my own knowledge grows.
However, consider option two. In teaching someone else the rudiments of repairing concrete/blacktop I have now started a chain-reaction that may not be as easily foreseeable as the benefits of focusing on only myself.
In teaching someone else this skill-set there will be a ripple effect of change that is far greater than could have ever been initiated by just my own skill-set. Now that someone else posseses these skills perhaps there will be less potholes around town, a new company can arise giving more job opportunities, and perhaps this person will continue to pass on the skill-set. Maybe everyone eventually knows how to repair concrete through this chain effect. Now there is less damage to the infrastructure of the town, people have to repair cars less, the economy may grow due to an increase in people with a valuable skill-set, etc.
In helping others it seems to have a longer lasting and more widespread effect than could have been possible if it were just me repairing concrete.
What are your thoughts? Is it best to focus on yourself and your own personal growth or is it better to assist others when possible and help spread knowledge/skills/etc?
Edit because i miss-clicked and submitted lol