March 12, 2014

What’s the one thing the world most needs right now?

Excluding any fantastical answers, I default to this:

10,000 young, self-actualized, polymathic effective altruists, each with deep domain expertise, $50,000 in funding, and located in Social Silicon Valleys

The why is simple: the world faces existential risks. If we don’t mitigate these risks, the human race may literally become extinct. All other values, beliefs, and desires become moot if there is no one left to experience them. We desperately need more people fighting for our survival.

Let’s break down this idealized group:

• 10,000 individuals: Each individual will have unique perspective on solutions, given his or her life experiences. A critical mass is needed to see results, as many will fail to achieve significant impact. A large community will also strengthen each individual’s impact.
• Young: Freer from status quo thinking, more open to risk, and with far fewer external responsibilities.
• Self-actualized: Highly principled, productive, and resilient. Able to perform at an extremely high level, sustained over years and decades.
• Polymathic: Broad-minded and able to synthesize possible solutions from multiple fields.
• Effective altruists: Combining desire and ability to do as much good as possible. Understanding how change actually works and doesn’t work.
• Deep domain expertise: Significant knowledge of the space they wish to innovate in, but not enough to limit their thinking.
• $50,000: Sufficient capital to validate many novel solutions.
• Social Silicon Valleys: Concentrated in 10 SSVs around the world.

In short, we need an army. Ideally today. Or yesterday.