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Yeah, and on a similar note, I'm done with thinking globally. I'm tired of wanting the world to be a better place and designing systems for the entire world. I

Yeah, and on a similar note, I'm done with thinking globally. I'm tired of wanting the world to be a better place and designing systems for the entire world. Instead, I want to focus on small scale local problems.

marssaxman 4y ago
How do you decide which small-scale local problems are worth focusing on, without the big-picture view providing a frame for your priorities? I used to order my life around thinking globally and acting locally, but humanity has closed the doors to the kinds of futures I was working toward, and there is nothing in the global view which inspires me anymore. There are still plenty of things I can do on a small scale, but the choice seems arbitrary without the context of a larger story. I wonder how you are getting past that obstacle and finding motivation for the small scale work.
- swader999 4y ago
  Don't overthink it. There's likely only a few things you can do locally. Pick one or two that interest you the most or that you think you can have the biggest impact on.
- bovermyer 4y ago
  The small scale is pretty obvious; if it's a problem for the local community, then it's a problem to care about. There are lots of small, local problems. The choice isn't arbitrary - it's whatever you think you are best suited to fix.
- scottwick 4y ago
  > but humanity has closed the doors to the kinds of futures I was working toward Curious to hear more about what you mean by this.
  - marssaxman 4y ago
    My personal philosophy includes a strong vein of deep ecology, with a political view influenced by mutualist anarchism. I wanted to be part of a humanity which got its act together, tore down its oppressive hierarchies, adapted to its limits, and learned to respect not only each other, but the whole of the ecosystem we live within. That can no longer happen; we've already gone so far (with CO2 emissions especially) that everything, everywhere, has been or will be disrupted and damaged by human industry.
slothtrop 4y ago
I lower the cognitive overhead for global problems by just donating to charities that do effective work I believe in (e.g. PSI). On the local level we can at least go to town hall meetings and vote.

marssaxman 4y ago

How do you decide which small-scale local problems are worth focusing on, without the big-picture view providing a frame for your priorities? I used to order my life around thinking globally and acting locally, but humanity has closed the doors to the kinds of futures I was working toward, and there is nothing in the global view which inspires me anymore. There are still plenty of things I can do on a small scale, but the choice seems arbitrary without the context of a larger story. I wonder how you are getting past that obstacle and finding motivation for the small scale work.

swader999 4y ago
Don't overthink it. There's likely only a few things you can do locally. Pick one or two that interest you the most or that you think you can have the biggest impact on.
bovermyer 4y ago
The small scale is pretty obvious; if it's a problem for the local community, then it's a problem to care about. There are lots of small, local problems. The choice isn't arbitrary - it's whatever you think you are best suited to fix.
scottwick 4y ago
> but humanity has closed the doors to the kinds of futures I was working toward Curious to hear more about what you mean by this.
- marssaxman 4y ago
  My personal philosophy includes a strong vein of deep ecology, with a political view influenced by mutualist anarchism. I wanted to be part of a humanity which got its act together, tore down its oppressive hierarchies, adapted to its limits, and learned to respect not only each other, but the whole of the ecosystem we live within. That can no longer happen; we've already gone so far (with CO2 emissions especially) that everything, everywhere, has been or will be disrupted and damaged by human industry.

slothtrop 4y ago

I lower the cognitive overhead for global problems by just donating to charities that do effective work I believe in (e.g. PSI). On the local level we can at least go to town hall meetings and vote.