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What to Do

(paulgraham.com)
274 points npalli | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0.205s | source
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ChrisMarshallNY ◴[] No.43526580[source]
> One should help people, and take care of the world. Those two are obvious.

From what I encounter, almost daily, I don't think everyone is on the same page, on that; especially amongst folks of means.

I have seen people without a pot to piss in, treat others -even complete strangers- with respect, love, caring, and patience, and folks with a lot of money, treat others most barbarously; especially when they consider those "others," to be folks that don't have the capability to hit back or stand up for themselves.

As to what I do, I've been working to provide free software development to organizations that help each other, for a long time. It's usually worked out, but it is definitely a labor of love. The rewards aren't especially concrete. I'll never get an award, never make any money at it, and many of the folks that I have helped, have been fairly curt in their response.

I do it anyway.

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1. smeeth ◴[] No.43528300[source]
It’s not just that people disagree on whether or not to do these things, it’s also that they disagree on what helps people/the world.

An evangelical and an atheist will probably disagree about the helpfulness of spreading the gospel, for example.