Alex Wendland

Values

I am values driven - in fact everyone is. It is simply the objective function which we use to make decisions. When people say they want to make the world a better place, they are saying they want to the world to be more aligned with their values.

The greatest enemy of progress is not stagnation, but false progress.

Sydney J. Harris

There is no way to say values are good or bad objectively - only in relation to someone elses values. Knowing your values is the first step to make meaningful progress towards your goals.

Truth

Truth is knowledge. Statements, correctly formulated, can be evaluated to true or false. What we know is simply the set of statements we believe to be true or false. What we have left to discover is the set of statements we do not know the truth value of. I not only want to increase the number of statements I know the truth value of, but also the number other people know.

It's not anyone else's responsibility to show us the truth. It's our responsibility to find it.

The mom test

I try to promote this by:

  • Learning,

  • Teaching,

  • Giving honest feedback, and

  • Providing relevant context.

Equality

If you got randomly reallocated bodies with someone else in society - how afraid would you be? If you are afraid, then we are not equal.

Inequality for me means society is not working efficiently. If everyone in the world had the same eduction as you would you hold the position you currently do? If not, then society is not working efficiently.

Inequality can have a corrosive effect on economies and societies. It stifles productivity and smothers growth.

Christine Lagarde

I try to promote this by:

  • Making the Pledge to give,

  • Be objective when providing opportunities, and

  • Being data driven when making decisions.

Improvement

To improve is to make something score higher in an objective function. Normally actions have payoffs - you might make a wheel spin faster but be more vulnerable to breaking. Nothing is permanent so why not make that change agree with your values? After all, actions are what matter.

I try to improve myself, others around me, the processes that effect us, and the world at large. I do this in the most effective ways I can, prioritising impact over thous impacted.

Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.

Peter Drucker

I try to promote this by:

  • Learning in public,

  • Regular self reviews,

  • Contribute to the latest technology, and

  • Being vocal about my values.

Well-being

Whilst suffering is not inherently bad, we all act to minimise the suffering we have not chosen. Suffering is subjective - what one person finds painful another might find pleasurable - however, providing the basics of Maslow's hierarchy of needs to everyone seems like a good start.

Compassion is not just about feeling the pain of others; it is about taking action to reduce that pain.

Tenzin Gyatso

I try to promote this by:

  • Practice meditation for metal well-being,

  • Giving effectively,

  • Promote a culture of well-being and compassion, and

  • Veganism for the long term good.

Change the System

Whilst living your morals is required, the most effective change comes by writing systems to reflect these values. For me, the most important system is the code that runs the applications we rely on every day. Making decisions is hard - make it once and automate to save work or better make the default option aligned with your values.

The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.

Socrates

I try to promote this by:

  • Politically engaged,

  • Coding, and

  • Automating habits.