It could be a tomorrow you are building for your children.
Because helping others feels better than being an asshole
Odds are that there are dozens of people way cooler than me who would benefit from the work that I can do in preparation for them.
Also, eternal life, like immortality in the annals of human history, is only something I can hope for. Making other people’s lives better is the only way I know for sure I can make a mark in the world.
As Bo Burnham puts it, “You pray so badly for heaven knowing any day could be the day that you die, but maybe life on Earth can be heaven. Doesn’t just the thought of it make it worth a try?”
I think Western society/individualism has erased a lot of this but for centuries before colonialism and still in a lot of indigenous and non-western societies, it’s expected to respect your elders and take care of them. In turn, they should be aiming to build that respect for themselves and to be a good ancestor for those preceding them. You see this all across indigenous belief systems - your society/nature will take care of you just as you took care of it.
The reason nobody did shit for us is because those beliefs have been overridden by colonialism and individualistic mindsets. Humans aren’t meant to be as selfish as we’ve become, that’s why we’re so unhappy.
Because someone else has already built it for us. It’s our duty to pass it on. And honestly it is the core of what it means to be human. Otherwise you’re a parasite who deserves what parasites deserve.
They would never build for you because you will teach them by example to build for their descendents.
“A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit.” - ancient Greek proverb
What if they don’t care for their descendents and they only care for ideas?
Not really how our monkey brains work generally. We’re biologically programmed to do lots of things, like want to have babies (or at least sex and not be smart about it) and to take care of them. Not everyone does a good job, but historically speaking it’s led to a population of a few hundred people turning into a few billion.
That’s the whole gene vs meme concept.
The same principal applies in that people who come after you can receive your ideas.
And if their idea is you shouldn’t exsist?
Edit:
Alphonse: Mr Heinkel, why do you have that?
Heinkel: I happen to pick it up. I got it when Kimblee abandoned us in the mine.
Alphonse: A philosopher stone. With this we might actually have a chance at winning. But…
Heinkel: Yeah, I know. These are made using human lives aren’t they? Your brother told me. He said, “you rather not use one of these to get your original bodies back.” In that case, don’t use it for yourself. Use it to save the entire world instead. You deserve it because even though they’ve been put into that stone you still recognize them as people. I know, those people, even though their trapped in stone they still want to fight to protect what matters to them. Let them fight, they deserve the chance.
Alphonse: Alright. We’ll fight. Together
Today was pretty shit but there were some parts of it that were neat and I want others to be able to cherish more of the parts that were neat
Empathy.
Because you are not the main character of the universe.
You will leave behind consequences for your actions. The consequences of the actions of others gave you the world you have lived in, as will the consequences of your shape the world of the future.
There is nothing after death and we all know that, so all there’s left to plan for after you die is the legacy of what you did while you were here.
Speaking for me, I value the idea that the consequences of my life wind up being more positive than negative for future generations. I also value feeling like I’ve changed things for the better now, and so when I have a platform or any influence I aim for that.
If you don’t care about any of that, please seek counseling. The rest of us will be better off with fewer narcissists.
Sorry, my question really hurt you.
We’re talking about you, bud. I’m good.
What about me? Why not just air your grievances. I won’t mind.
Nah. You want a fight, you can look somewhere else. I’ve got better things to do. I said what I wanted to say.
I won’t fight. You think I’m a narcissist. That’s hurtful but ok. I apologize for however it is i transgressed against you.
How do you want me to behave differently?
Edit: should I not ask questions? Should I not be myself? Should I be nicer?
I’m a person like you. If you do not want to connect with me why engage me in such a confrontational way?
I think it’s just your question comes off as nihilistic and a little bit libertarian, and neither of those is mentally healthy really
Ok, but it was an honest question. So, how is that narcissism? Is every question I ask a representation of what I believe?
I’m from yesterday. When I was a kid in the 70’s, my tomorrow was the triumph of science, an evermore interconnected world of evermore educated people, the rule of individual rights and freedoms, the retreat of religion and magical thinking, fewer and fewer wars and the gradual end of poverty.
I’m very bitter today because somebody stole my future. But you can also argue that I, a man of yesterday, failed to shape the world of today too. We all failed, those of my generation.
If you’re a person of today, you need to work towards a better tomorrow right now. Because if you don’t, you’ll end up regretting not doing it later in life like I do.
The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.
Your other person’s tomorrow is you.
Because I want the future to say nice things about me.
“…And children then there was HobbitFoot. He was just a good dude, what can I say.”
“He was a lucky Hobbit’s Foot.”
I like the idea that I was part of the foundation of something positive that will outlast a single human life time. All you have to do is not be a douch to positively impact. Maybe it’s just a drop in a bucket but ocean is just a collection of drops of water.
From a purely cynical perspective: Species survival. Evolution has programmed us to desire offspring and try to ensure their ability to produce offspring. To do that, I need to make sure the world is livable for them and the next generations.
Small minded people see this and think “I just need to make it better for my kids not everyone”. They’re missing the big picture. They fail to see that we survive better if everyone is surviving better.
You build for tomorrow to leave something behind of yourself. The tree you planted, the painting you made, the building you built. They are parts of oneself that remain after our alloted time passes.
