When people get asked why they write, the usual response is either that they love doing it or that they are doing it to help themselves or stay sane.

I write for a different reason. I have original insights on many issues, that can be useful to many other people. These insights are my contribution to the world.

There are any number of people who accuse creative types of being irresponsible. In fact many of them are highly responsible. They are contributing useful insight and useful thought to the civilization. This insight can then help people to make more informed decisions. Which means that their contributions are significant ones.

There is no more important aspect of responsibility than leaving the world a better place than you have found it. The people who provide valuable insight do a lot toward that effect. Without such insight, people do things that they think to be responsible but aren’t. They drive Hummers. They burn down Amazonian rainforest. They bust the federal budget. They leave behind for their children a toxic hell.

The more people understand such things and act from that understanding, the better are the decisions that people make.

Providing insight is a very important service. Once again, it helps people to make better decisions. Doing that then makes possible for people to make decisions that are actually responsible as opposed to ignorant and short-sighted.

And that is one of the best form of social service that one can provide.