Solvable Problems

People need problems to solve to call them into life. This is where people become self actualized. People feel energized. Upbeat. Optimisitc. The feeling of being alive. Without a problem to solve humans become sad. We don’t have a reason for living. Yeah, there are all those platitudes, but it doesn’t feel like we are adding value. If we were gone no one would notice.

At the same time, many capable people are solving fairly non essential problems. They are creating a lot of noise. A lot of weeds. Our culture becomes like a forest choked by the vines filling every space that blocks out the sunlight. We need more tall trees. Visionary problem solving.

The problem: many people need a problem to solve and they don’t have a good idea of what problem to solve.

There is a non-finite list of solvable problems. The list would probably be one of the most impactful contributions to people. There are problems like energy, electric cars, mosquitos that bring disease, depression, suicide, gun violence, etc.

People generally agree (at least the ones that I talk to) that when stuck in a rut, the easiest way to get out of it is to help someone else. Immediately it makes us feel important, useful, like we are adding value to the world. So this is not a list of things to listen to and think “oh, cool, I get it now” and then go on in life. This list should inspire people to take action, for groups, get off our collective asses.

I see many benefits of this: when people are busy solving problems, they have a lot less time to be destructive like killing people, filing frivolous lawsuits, complaining about the neighbors. Another benefit is that I will have fun doing it. Another benefit is that the issues will be more widely known even if not everyone takes on the challenge of solving the issue.

I think the best format is a Podcast interviewing experts on the problems.