This post is part of a series by my students at Mississippi Governor’s School. As a final project, they were challenged with creating an idea that could be used on a massive scale to help others live the good life.
Philosophy definitely showed me how to think by using a different perspective. I learned that these perspectives have been named and studied for years. Making choices have so much more consequences to others more than just myself. Philosophy is the study of how I perceive things, but its nothing without others there to effect it. From this class I took a new way of seeing compassion whether it’s to myself or to the world.
In our generation today, parts of the world have struggling conditions. One big issue is the lack of lighting in homes. Approximately one-fourth of the world’s population live in dark homes. I believe if we could make a brighter place for people to live in, then those people could see life on a more positive point of view. They would receive the idea that the world is bigger than it seems, and it has so much more to offer. By living in a dim environment, it yields their ability to see more opportunities, and they do not have as much to be grateful for.
I see this as a solution to saving the people in Plato’s cave. If these people were the ones trapped in the cave seeing nothing but shadows from a fire they have never seen, then they should be rescued. They deserve an opportunity to have their world brightened, so that everything is more real to them. Life would be more relaxing for them, instead of being cooped up in a dark cave.
We, as the blessed three-fourth who have electricity, can make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate. A foundation can be created to benefit both sides of the spectrum. If someone built a company that sold energy efficient and eco-friendly light bulbs, we could use that money to build an electricity plant that runs on reusable resources in third world countries. Not only will that light people’s homes, but also non-reusable energy will be saved.
The most ideal light bulb known to fit this goal would most likely be the CFL (compact fluorescent lamp). It lasts longer and helps the earth by using less energy. We could start a manufacturing them in an American metropolitan city because of their high demand of lighting. During that time, plans can be discussed to decide what country we would start in and what power source would be easiest to obtain in that region to power the homes. When enough money has been made, we can spread out to sell to more stores around the country and then eventually other countries.
Website could be made to inform others of our cause and how everyone should contribute. Hopefully others will become inspired and offer to help. To prepare the homes to receive electricity, we will need people willing to help find ways to set up the homes. Volunteers would want to come for an ethical reason. The joy they will get in traveling for free to a new country, meeting new people, and knowing they made someone’s life easier to live.
Philosophy gave me an idea to seek an issue to fix with a way the whole world could help. This journey will take huge effort and patience, but if everyone has the compassion to feed their determination, then the results can be successfully satisfying to the world.
