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> Keep in mind that a desire "to improve world" is a synonym for a "lust for power." The first is a positive way of putting it, the second is a pejorative, but

by jenius 12y ago

> Keep in mind that a desire "to improve world" is a synonym for a "lust for power." The first is a positive way of putting it, the second is a pejorative, but it is the same thing. This is simply not true. Many people see something that is wrong in the world and genuinely want to make it better. I'm not talking about companies like Uber that see how rich people just can't get private car quite conveniently enough and want to make that better, I'm talking about people that see real important problems and injustices and try to improve them, like Watsi for example. I'm sure that there are some people who just want to grab power and influence and call it "trying to improve the world", but there are also people who genuinely want to make the world a better place with no concern for money or power and work tirelessly every day to do so. While sadly these people are usually not well known, they are the real heroes.

bokonist 12y ago
Let me clarify slightly - a desire to improve the world on a large scale (like what a startup founder wants, which is what we are talking about) is synonymous with a "lust for power." If a person only wants to improve the world on their own small scale, like picking up after litterers or doing community service, then obviously that is not a lust for power. The definition of power is the ability to actualize ones will. When we approve of what someone is doing, we call use the positive term, "they are trying to change the world." When we disapprove, we say they are on a power-trip. It's the same thing though. Since Watsi is small and their mission is something that virtually everyone agrees with, everyone is unanimous that they are "trying to change the world." But if you look at a larger charity, that has more controversial missions, such as the Gates Foundation, you will see a lot of people of accusing the foundation of being on a power trip, of abusing their privileged position to play God with the lives of the poor and weak. There is a distinction between desiring money versus status versus influence/power. There is also a distinction between being ambitious and having ambition. The ambitious person has a vague sense they want to get ahead or improve the world. The person who has ambition has an actual reality they want to see realized. But there is not a distinction in motivations between the person who wants to change the world versus the person who wants power. The difference in terms comes from the outsider looking on, who will choose the positive or pejorative term based on the consequences of the actions.

by jenius 12y ago

bokonist 12y ago

Let me clarify slightly - a desire to improve the world on a large scale (like what a startup founder wants, which is what we are talking about) is synonymous with a "lust for power." If a person only wants to improve the world on their own small scale, like picking up after litterers or doing community service, then obviously that is not a lust for power. The definition of power is the ability to actualize ones will. When we approve of what someone is doing, we call use the positive term, "they are trying to change the world." When we disapprove, we say they are on a power-trip. It's the same thing though. Since Watsi is small and their mission is something that virtually everyone agrees with, everyone is unanimous that they are "trying to change the world." But if you look at a larger charity, that has more controversial missions, such as the Gates Foundation, you will see a lot of people of accusing the foundation of being on a power trip, of abusing their privileged position to play God with the lives of the poor and weak. There is a distinction between desiring money versus status versus influence/power. There is also a distinction between being ambitious and having ambition. The ambitious person has a vague sense they want to get ahead or improve the world. The person who has ambition has an actual reality they want to see realized. But there is not a distinction in motivations between the person who wants to change the world versus the person who wants power. The difference in terms comes from the outsider looking on, who will choose the positive or pejorative term based on the consequences of the actions.