Choices, Time, and Impact
I believe that all actions and their consequences should be viewed as a cohesive whole. Of course, a finite human mind cannot conceive all possible outcomes and unknown outside influences; yet, realistic efforts should be made to understand a problem and calculate the potential solutions plus long-term effects as best as one can.
If you have a tough decision to make, here are three similar questions that might provide some clarity, even for choices that contain multiple layers of ethical issues:
- How will this impact your life (and the world) in one year?
- How will this impact your life (and the world) in ten years?
- How will this impact your life (and the world) in one hundred ears?
- How will this impact your life (and the world) in the next thousand years?