
Ask HN: Can a software engineer help change the world? - noobie
I am sorry for the weirdness of the question but I am relatively young and want to make an <i>actual</i> impact on the world, something science&#x2F;tech related one day. Will becoming a software engineer be a step in the right direction?
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maratd
> want to make an _actual_ impact on the world

So in your view, there's this mass of people who accomplish nothing useful and
then a few who change the world?

> Will becoming a software engineer be a step in the right direction?

You need to realize that every single one of us who _works_ , regardless of
profession, changes the world. Even the guy flipping burgers at McDonalds.

If the guy wasn't flipping burgers, you'd be hungry and you wouldn't be able
to do your super duper important job. Every single person in the economy
contributes and shares in the accomplishment of everyone else. It's a large
machine and every piece is important. Every piece, every person, makes a
contribution and has an _actual_ impact on the world.

Don't choose your profession based on some pre-conceived notion of how
important a job is. That's just a cover for where on the social ladder a job
falls. Yes, if you're a lawyer or a doctor, you'll be more respected than a
burger flipper. Better paid too. But that's all it is, social perception and
its consequences.

Choose a profession based on your ability and your capacity to engulf yourself
in the work. If you have the capacity to be a software engineer, you enjoy the
work, and you can make beautiful things with your skill-set ... by all means.
But leave the pretentious bullshit of "making a difference" behind. We all
make a difference, regardless of the profession.

------
eastbayjake
I hate to admit this as an engineer, but the people who make a difference are
working at the _strategy_ level and not the _implementation_ level, which is
where most of us engineers spend our time. No world-changing startup ever
failed because "we couldn't get the code right" \-- they fail because they
build things the world doesn't want, or they fail to market the things they
build to people who want them.

The second difficult-to-admit thing is that software is only good at solving
problems where analyzing information and manipulating data are the solution.
Mobile banking apps are doing tremendous good in developing countries -- but
the benefits of things like mosquito nets, water purification, and vaccination
are not software problems. I'm pretty doubtful that apps will do much to
alleviate poverty, although I'm excited and encouraging of the people who are
trying.

~~~
hkmurakami
While what you are saying isn't entirely without merit, isn't that like saying
that the success of the Apollo missions lie with the bureaucrats rather than
the engineers and astronauts?

~~~
eastbayjake
I'm saying that man wouldn't have set foot on the moon without John F. Kennedy
declaring it would be so, but man would probably still have walked on the moon
if the Apollo engineering team were slightly less skilled. (Probably would
have taken longer and had more deadly failures, so thank God for the highly-
skilled people who worked together to make it all possible, but engineering
skill adds incremental improvement because efficacy becomes more dispersed the
further down the pyramid you go -- that's just the nature of human
organizations, the implementers are fungible.)

~~~
nmrm2
You don't think a bunch of astronaut deaths and costly mission failures
would've eventually eroded public will?

~~~
eastbayjake
A bunch of astronauts _did_ die at the very beginning: Apollo 1 blew up on the
launch pad. There was outrage in Congress but it died down because LBJ (a huge
NASA supporter) used his (in)famous strong-arm political leadership to push
forward. Again: strategy and leadership were more important than
implementation. LBJ was more important for pushing Apollo forward than NASA's
engineering success (or lack thereof).

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_1#Political_fallout](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_1#Political_fallout)

------
quotedmycode
1\. Don't try to boil the ocean. You can't change the whole world at once, you
can only affect your sphere of influence. You first need to expand your sphere
of influence.

2\. The easiest way to do that is money. (ex: Bill Gates, Elon Musk) Barring
that, you need to write an awesome book, or have something published (Stephen
Hawking, Albert Einstein), or get elected (Barack Obama). Chances are, those
will lead to increased wealth also.

3\. Use that to introduce the change you want in the world.

The thing is, the most difficult part is expanding that sphere. You're one
person of 7 billion. That's not even a one in a million chance of impacting
the world. The odds are against you. That said, you can make a change in your
community, maybe even your city. The key is, you have to start right where you
are and impact what you can.

If Albert Einstein had asked 'should I become a patent clerk if I want to make
an actual impact on the world?' people would have flat out said NO. The thing
is, it did give him steady income and time to think, and thinking is what he
did best.

Now of course you can shortcut those steps by being a martyr for whatever
cause you want (Nathan Hale, Mahatma Gandhi), but then if you have to ask,
you're already doing it wrong.

------
Blahah
Whatever your career, if you earn money then effective altruism is an
evidence-based approach to improving the world:

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effective_altruism](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effective_altruism)
[https://centreforeffectivealtruism.org/](https://centreforeffectivealtruism.org/)

I suspect this isn't what you were thinking of - but it's something you can do
that doesn't prevent you improving the world directly through the software you
make.

~~~
cousin_it
Yes. Effective altruism is the right answer.

This EA organization seems especially relevant to OP's question:
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/80,000_Hours](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/80,000_Hours)

------
logfromblammo
I'm going to say no. It isn't because software engineering is unimportant. It
is because you don't know what impact you wish to make. You asked the wrong
question. You ask "Can a software engineer help change the world?" when the
question is really "How useful is software engineering to a person who will
change the world?" Perhaps you can see the difference.

The people who stand upon the ends of our levers are there because they have
already decided the direction in which they wish to push.

You cannot guarantee that any skill will help you until _after_ you have
decided what you want the world to do for you. Once you have decided upon your
end, the means to it should become more clear.

------
probably_wrong
My take on this: it's already hard enough not to screw the world any more that
it already is. My favorite example: adding "[this project] shall be used for
Good, not Evil" to your code will bring infinite arguing back and forth[1].

I try to focus on the small things. There are alternatives to owning the Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation. Choosing not to work for Zynga, or refusing to
help the NSA's data collection is more than enough for a start. Write an app
that makes life in the 3rd world easier, and you are already ahead of the
curve.

[1]
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5138866](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5138866)

~~~
brickcap
>I try to focus on the small things

Great attitude. I feel the same way too. There is a line[1] in "Hey Jude" (a
popular Beatles song) that I quite like:-

"Don't carry the world upon your shoulders"

No one can change the world all by himself but little things go a long way.

------
AYBABTME
I think as an engineer, you'll learn to 'learn how to build'. Then you can
learn to build software, or hardware, or anything.

Then as a software engineer, you'll earn a decent amount of money. And money
is what you will need to sponsor your dreams of changing the world. And
getting started in software isn't too hard, you just need a computer and
internet. Worst case, you can always fail and start again (minus health). So
out of any career, I think a Software Engineer one is a pretty good bet. You
will at least get a pretty good set of tools to help you out. Then it's up to
you and your determination.

All that said, I don't think there's a single 'career' that will make you
change the world. Nothing and nobody will make you change the world, it will
come from you.

------
eli_gottlieb
I think that depends on what you mean by " _actual_ impact on the world."

Some people might advise you that you can't do much, but that's not true.

Some people might advise you to try to do something uber-ambitious, but most
uber-ambitious projects fail.

Some people point out that almost whatever you do, your labor contributes to
society as a whole. That's _very_ true.

I want to add: change the world _into what?_ In what _direction?_ Your
question is like asking, "Can I travel far away by train or automobile?"
Depends where! Are there roads or tracks? Do you intend to construct roads or
tracks? Why are you picking out some destination in particular?

------
codeshaman
I think it's inevitable that you will need software if you're going to use
science/tech.

Software did change the world and is continuously doing that. The jump from
even 30 years ago is spectacular.

This trend will continue in the foreseeable future.

But notice that there's a slight difference between 'changing' the world and
'making the world better'.

The first means doing thing differently, which doesn't necessarily mean that
it is in everyone's best interest. Change can also be a bad thing. The second
means giving humanity tools which they can use themselves to solve some of
their existential problems.

When you solve one of these problems you can either: profit immensely from it
by being a monopoly (change the world) or share your solution with the world
and contribute to everyone (make the world better).

Then there's you very personal desire to 'make an actual impact'. You have to
very carefully examine _why_ you want it to be _you_ and not someone else. If
you're looking to get rich, you can do it in a lot of other ways. If you want
a place in history, you can also do it by going into politics or science or
art. If you want to improve the condition of the human race, then ask yourself
- are you willing to still do it even if you get no reward or recognition for
it ?

I guess that's more than you asked for, but I think it's important to consider
these things early as they will haunt you for the rest of your journey. Good
luck.

------
eCa
"Make an impact", "change the world".

You can certainly do that working at NSA (or FSB).

If you want to do _good_ , then becoming a software developer (or accountant,
or statistician) is not enough in itself.

It is what you then choose to do with your knowledge that determines that. And
luck.

However, beware [1].

[1]
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_road_to_hell_is_paved_with_...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_road_to_hell_is_paved_with_good_intentions)

------
crimsonalucard
Sometimes I think we software engineers are really arrogant. Can a plumber
change the world? Can a teacher? Can an architect? Can a civil engineer change
the world? Yes they all can, but you'll only hear a software engineer ask a
question like that.

Anytime I see an article saying something along the lines of "Big data can
cure cancer," I just laugh. All occupations help the world in their own way.
Software just happens to be really trendy right now.

~~~
rhizome31
This is a legitimate question because, as opposed to other professions such as
the ones you mentioned, software engineers very often do not change the world
at all. A lot of software projects fail, have a very short lifetime, replicate
something that already exist or do something that may not seem very useful
(eg. the plethora of "social" apps). In all these cases, the impact of
software engineering is actually rather negative: wasted natural resources,
wasted time, etc. Even when the software is innovative and has users, we can
often question its usefulness for humanity. For example, high-frequency
trading or mass destruction weaponry are fields where the question of meaning
may arise. I think the question of meaning is important to software engineers
because it's not obvious at all that what they do is meaningful.

~~~
crimsonalucard
I think you illustrated the reality of software engineering, not the
perception. The perception is that all these startup entrepreneurs and
software engineers are ninjas and rockstars. Software Engineers are curing
cancer and ending terrorism with big data, all while becoming millionaires
over night.

I believe the reason this question is asked, is not because of the stark
reality of software engineering, but because of the perception.

------
Stephn_R
You have to look at this in a different light. Making a difference as Software
Engineer is possible. But digging deeper into the root of how its possible is
not a career related move. Many people make tremendous contributions everyday
(i.e. See Github) in many fields everyday. However, your determination and
drive as an individual will deter your actual affect on the world. To put it
simply:

 __ _We choose to become leaders. We choose to change the world. No one is_
_born_ * into it __*

In the massive wealth of technology and information we have today, it is very
much possible to become successful as an engineer. But much too often do
people outweigh the failures of the many with the successes of the few. Think
of how many startups have failed before one actually ___succeeded_ __. It is
ungodly and daunting to look at the statistics but that should never stop
someone. It should drive you as a professional in not becoming one of the many
and deciding to fight to become one of the few.

TL:DR; I do not believe that being a software engineer alone gives us all the
capability of changing the world. It must be coupled with drive and
determination before it becomes an option

------
anuj_nm
I'm an engineer working for Change Heroes (www.changeheroes.com). Every Sunday
night all I can think about is how excited I am to work on the product the
next week. I've never felt this way before.

Change Heroes helps raise money for charities and non profits. Our impact
includes 217 funded projects so far including schools, wells, and aid
packages. Yes, as an engineer, you can make a huge impact on the world.

------
alphydan
Here's an opportunity to make an impact using software development [0]:

> International Development Design Summits (IDDS) Lahore is a hands-on design
> experiences that brings together people from all walks of life to create
> low-cost, practical innovations to improve the lives of people living in
> poverty.

(you can apply before July 1st, and participate in Lahore, Pakistan).

The impact may be small, but certainly significant for many (things that have
come out of these summits are water purification and monitoring technologies,
sanitation technologies, healthcare information through SMS, and many more)

[0] [http://www.idds-lahore.com/](http://www.idds-lahore.com/)

------
pyrrhotech
You won't be able to have a large impact as just a software engineer, but you
can do a little bit. If you really want to change the world in a big way, you
have to be a businessman and leverage the power of others' efforts.

------
cdvonstinkpot
This 'Google Ideas' post from the front page appears to be an example of what
you're talking about.

[https://www.google.com/ideas/](https://www.google.com/ideas/)

------
sbov
Anything changes the world, some inconsequential, some not, some for better,
some for worse, some neutral. If you mean make a positive impact on the world
though:

Probably one of the most direct ways to help is to work for a company whose
impact you believe will help change the world in a positive way.

E.g. online learning, green tech, or whatever you personally are passionate
about.

Another example: in the last 5-10 years there's been a lot of work done in
helping consumers understand their power and water usage. This lets us make
smarter choices and reduce our energy and water usage.

------
newobj
As a software engineer, you might not be able to change the world, but you'll
at least get to rebuild it ... everyday, when you come in the morning and git
pull latest.

------
saint_fiasco
The boring answer is that as long as you are making money, you can donate some
to charity.

Making lots of money and donating it to an effective charity is usually a more
efficient way to change the world for the better than choosing a sub-optimal
career trying to change the world by yourself.

If you think you can be a good software engineer, you should go for it.

~~~
zachlatta
> Making lots of money and donating it to an effective charity is usually a
> more efficient way to change the world for the better than choosing a sub-
> optimal career trying to change the world by yourself.

Been thinking about this as well, would love to hear any further thoughts on
this.

Following that same strain of logic, if I want to build a successful business,
why not choose an optimal career and then hire someone to build the business
for me?

~~~
saint_fiasco
> if I want to build a successful business, why not choose an optimal career
> and then hire someone to build the business for me?

That's what angel investors do, right? First they make lots of money and then
they invest on other people's business.

------
Skeletor
Yes. I feel software engineers at drchrono make a difference every day by
giving amazing software to doctors who use it to treat more patients and make
more money doing it (which will keep them from rage quitting medicine after
using other EMR software which is just terrible.)

------
blacksmythe
Here is a (hardware engineering) example of how a group of volunteers are
helping make the world a better place:

    
    
        http://www.unite-to-light.org/
    

(developed lights with solar-powered storage for students without access to
electricity).

------
TYPE_FASTER
I didn't used to think so.

I'm less cynical now.

It all depends on where you want to work, and what you want to do.

------
net4all
AI research/implementation -> AI -> Better AI -> Cataclysm or utopia.

Either way the world is changed.

Just an example.

------
kaa2102
No, problem solvers that can implement solutions can change the world.

------
firegrind
Certainly, if you use your skills to make an actual impact.

------
Dirlewanger
Asking this unironically, and seeing unironic answers, is painful...painful to
read.

~~~
dempseye
Why is that?

~~~
Dirlewanger
C'mon dude, look at the site you're on.

~~~
rifung
Can you elaborate? I don't have the slightest idea what you are trying to
imply and it seems I'm not alone.

------
dguaraglia
Of course you can! It'll all depend on what career choices you make. If you
become a software engineer to then go develop corporate Java software for Big
Corporation Inc, then you won't have much of an impact. Join a startup with a
valuable vision and a good product and you definitely will.

~~~
dguaraglia
I don't get why my answer is being downvoted. I guess I didn't write a super
philosophical, clever reply that'd "change this 'ere lad's life forever". I
wasn't going for that either.

I just wanted to give my perspective, as someone who's done both, regarding
'working for a product you love' and 'working for a big company because you
get paid well'.

If anyone got personally offended because they think they can be a corporate
Java developer and change the world by contributing to a charity... well, I
guess it's pretty clear the OP wasn't asking about that. Anyone can do that,
no need to be a software engineer.

