We've come a long way.
These principles are designed to orient me in the world, independent of the massive uncertainty of the future.
But nobody is truly independent.
To remain sane, certain tradeoffs are needed.
We can't form relationships without sacrificing some individuality, or work in teams without sacrificing some control, or join society without sacrificing some autonomy. These things are restrictive, as a function of scale.
You could argue that this is weakness. But then you'd have to argue that all forms of human interaction (including cultures, communities, and families) are nothing but cowardice, which seems like a bad idea.
But there are infinite possible tradeoffs we could make. Is there an optimal choice?
No. I don't think so.
There's only so much we can see from our current vantage point. Thinking increases our odds of hitting a certain aim, but action refines the aim itself.
What does this mean?
It means the optimal path forward changes as we move toward it. There's no perfect choice because there's no perfect perspective.
Even our most foundational ideas are fallible. The only certainty is that there is no certainty. We can't skip to the end of the story, no matter how hard we try.
What to do, then?
Tell the best story imaginable.
Convert potential into actuality, before it expires.
Make the best plan we can, pursue it, and iterate based on real-world feedback.
Break new ground, so that future generations might pick up where we left off.
Think of everyone who came before us. Think of the unbelievable gifts they left behind. These people laid down their lives, despite the risk, for our sake. Was their sacrifice in vain? Will we waste what they've given us?
Right now, as you're reading this, there's a kid sitting in their bedroom somewhere. They have the potential to change the world. To cure new diseases, or terraform new planets, or discover new phenomena that shift our understanding of reality.
It's our responsibility to give them hope.
To be more convincing than the cynicism they're tempted with.
To do so with action, and not just talk.
We will leave no room for doubt.
- Will