The most good life?

[Captain Cardio]

Say you are an average, capable person, who has stubbornly decided that they are going to selflessly do the most that they can in their lifetime, to prevent or stop suffering on earth. You hold this ideal to the highest importance in your life, and are willing to go through great personal sacrifice.

For the sake of context, we will say you are living in western society, and you have just graduated from high school with good grades. You are capable of doing any occupation.

What life plan would lead to the most effective allocation of your time and energy, to fulfill your desire to stop or prevent suffering, to the maximum you are able to?

(for this thread, all of this is a given, we are not debating the existence of such people or altruism)

[Jack]

If we're presuming no limitations imposed by financial considerations or intelligence, my first thought would be to become a research scientist in whichever branch of medicine appealed most to you.

[tinybear]

President of the USA. Hey, he's (she's) the most powerful person in the world, right? :)

[Jagged]

Join Volconvo and talk sense into us other people

[Captain Cardio]

tinybear said:

President of the USA. Hey, he's (she's) the most powerful person in the world, right?

What would you do as president to do the most to fight suffering in the world?

[dalin]

I would either teach, or do something involving education. I think knowledge is the root.

[Captain Cardio]

Maybe if we break down this question a bit we can ask, what do you believe is (or are) the greatest cause(s) of suffering in the world, and then what would be the best way for one person to bring about change in to this cause?

I'll guess I'll put an idea out there just because people seem more willing to say why other peoples arguments are wrong, than volunteer their own. :)

I thought that maybe the largest positive effect could be done by a non-materialistic(1), vegetarian(2) who does all he can to accumlate the most wealth while maintaining a famous, intelligent, sympathetic, and integrious reputation. He could write books and makes speechs approaching the causes of extreme poverty and meat production for what they are, and expose the suffering they cause, and the seeable prevention of these.

This person could try with all their ability to make it big as a successful business man, to donate all the money he accumulates and invests during his life, and at the end of his life, give it all to a humanitarian developmental organization which he has thoroughly researched.

(1) Non-materialistic, because if he only purchases things he needs, rather than wants, he will have much more income available to invest to give away at the end of his life. And this would serve as a good example, in that if other people followed it, more good would happen.

(2)Vegetarian, because the process that meat is currently produced in, causes alot of suffering in animals. I spose he or she could also try and invent a practical way to get meat from animals, without the animals suffering.

Quite a mouthful there, but whether or not it is right or wrong to be materialistic or vegetarian isn't what I'm saying, I'm just suggesting the world would have much less suffering if people acted this way.

So if you do have a problem with what I said here, please let it be that you have thought of a better way to stop suffering, or a refinement of this potential person, not some other niggling detail or argument that pulls off from this main one.

Haha, heres a radical way to stop or prevent the most suffering: Make it your mission to end all life on earth. There wouldn't be any joy but there wouldn't be any suffering anymore either. :eek:

[Heather]

I would try to make people see beyond themselves. Wake them up.

[Captain Cardio]

I would try to make people see beyond themselves. Wake them up.

I think thats a great idea, but how do we go about doing that?