Chapter 8 : Selflessness Will Take Us To The Next Step

Summary

Augustin Vallée, a French aerospace engineer, advocates for selflessness as a crucial factor for humanity's future success and survival, emphasizing its role in creating a better world.

Abstract

Augustin Vallée, a 24-year-old French aerospace engineer, expresses his dissatisfaction with the current trajectory of the world and his desire for change. He uses his platform on Medium to initiate a dialogue about ways to improve the world, stressing the importance of selflessness. Vallée argues that selflessness, often undervalued, is a common trait among great civilizations and individuals who have made significant impacts on the world, such as Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, and even contemporary figures like Elon Musk. He suggests that by prioritizing the collective good over personal comfort and needs, society can achieve a greater future. Vallée points to the altruistic behaviors of insects like ants and bees as examples of how selflessness can lead to extraordinary organization and success. He encourages readers to incorporate selflessness into their daily lives, suggesting practical actions such as volunteering, supporting charities, and solving global problems, rather than extreme measures like giving away all possessions. Vallée invites everyone to engage in a conversation to explore how selflessness can be translated into actionable strategies for a better world.

Opinions

Selflessness is an underrated quality that has been the foundation of every great civilization and is essential for our future.
Historical figures like Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa, as well as modern innovators like Elon Musk, exemplify the impact of selflessness.
The survival instinct to prioritize personal well-being is outdated in our current society where cooperation can lead to greater collective success.
Observing the selfless behavior of insects like ants and bees can provide valuable lessons for human society.
Selflessness does not require extreme sacrifices but can be practiced through daily actions that contribute to the greater good.
The focus should shift from individual gain to collective well-being to create a kinder and more sustainable world.
Engaging in discussions and sharing selfless acts on social media can inspire others and promote a culture of altruism.

Selflessness is becoming really important for our future. It will determine our long term survival.

My name is Augustin Vallée. I am a 24 year old, French aerospace engineer. Like many people I don’t want to keep living in this world. At least on the path we are on right now. I see where we will end up in a few years and I don’t want my future to be like that. I am using Medium as an outlet to give you my point of view and most importantly as a place to have a conversation with you. I want to find ways to make the world a better place and I need your help.

Every great civilisation that have ever existed and that have ever been imagined have one thing in common. They all have a really particular mindset underrated by most of us. We admire people for it and yet only a few realise how valuable it is. Selflessness, thinking more about the greater good than ourselves. Spending your energy, helping others rather than caring about our own comfort and even needs.

But why is it such a powerful quality and how could it lead us to a much greater future ? It doesn’t really make sense. Our survival instinct tells us to take care of ourselves first and when it is possible helping others. We are giving up on our dreams if we spend too much time fulfilling other people dreams and needs. Well, it doesn’t have to be this way. This perspective makes sense on the short term, in a difficult environment in which selfishness is required to stay alive. It doesn’t apply to us anymore.

Let’s look at some examples :

Nelson Mandela spent years in prison because he was fighting to help black people in South Africa. He put others before his own comfort and needs. His actions totally changed the country, even though it is still not perfect today it is much better than what it could have been.

Mother Teresa, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln … All of them are selfless people that devoted their lives to make the world a better place. We all know their names and we all admire them. They are real life superheroes, leaving an impact on the entire world, even a long time after their death.

We can even take Elon Musk as a great example of selflessness. A lot of people only see him as a billionaire CEO of a few companies. Yet all of his companies are solving a problem at a global scale. Among them there is Tesla, it became the most valuable car company for a good reason. Its only purpose is to make great electric cars. The company struggled to make a profit because the goal is to make electric cars more affordable and as crazy as Elon Musk imagine them. In every single one of his company profit doesn’t matter, solving a problem the best way possible does. And he is spending hundreds of hours a week making sure it all goes according to plan.

Now let’s look at some insects. The most powerful aren’t the biggest are the most dangerous. Ants and bees are, why ? Because they are totally selfless species. Every single one of them is working for the colony even if they have to die for it. Watching ant colonies is the most fascinating thing. The organisation is absolutely insane. Every ant knows what it has to do and is doing it without any question asked. The only goal is to make the anthill the greatest that could ever be created.

We don’t have to be as extreme as them in our behaviours, but we can learn great thing about ourselves from them. And we already did, for the moment it is some small improvement or fictions about futuristic civilisations. We know what a superior future could look like, authors are writing about it, movie directors are simulating them.

By implementing that in our daily habits, the world can only be a better place. It is not because some people are taking advantage of others that we have to divide and become selfish. It doesn’t matter in the long term if someone isn’t doing the right thing. What really matter is if the majority of us is doing the right thing.

I am not talking about giving all your money to charity to help the poor or letting someone sleep in your house. It is a little too much for all of us and is not a good solution either. I am talking about giving your time, creating things that will help all of us. Spending your time making a product that will solve a problem most of us are facing is a huge help for the greater good.

The main question we should ask ourselves is : what can I do to make the world a better a place ? Only you can find an answer depending on what you are good at and what you want to bring to the world. Whether it is helping homeless people, cleaning a beach, spend some time with elderly people, this is your choice.

I know that it is way easier to watch Netflix for a few hours than working for someone else for free. I can assure you, the long term reward is worth way more than this little comfort fix. Imagine how great a world driven by kindness would be.

Here are a few things you can start doing right now :

Spend some time with elderly people in your neighborhood.

Give money or time to a charity of your choice.

Find a solution to a global problem.

Help your family.

Pick up garbages left on the ground.

Saving and helping some animals.

Feel free to spread your effort. Share it on social media, talk about it to your family and friends. Make selflessness cool to bring it back in the spotlight.

I want to build a place where we can discuss this war and find a strategy to get all of us out of it as soon as possible and with long term solutions. I can’t do it alone and I need your help. Let’s start a conversation right here to find a way to put those thoughts into actions.