If Not You, Then Who?
21 Jan 2026
The works of Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle were pivotal in my development as a child. Introducing me to different schools of thought and philosophies. As I began to explore the world of discord, I came across two opposing schools of thought, altruism and egoism. With altruism asserting that people are primarily motivated to intrinsically want to help others, despite self-interest. While egoism prioritizes one’s own self-interest over the well-being of others.
As time went on, I began to branch out into political philosophy. Where I was introduced to an idea called “social contract” theory. According to the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, the social contract states that “persons’ moral and/or political obligations are dependent upon a contract or agreement among them to form the society in which they live.” This concept has informed the inner workings of social and political structures, particularly within Western civilizations.
Are you holding up your end?
There have been many political philosophers that have contributed thoughts and nuances to social contract theory. However, the philosopher that stands out foremost in my mind is Jean-Jacques Rousseau. He regarded the general public as the ‘sovereign,’ or a collective of individuals with a unified will. Whereby the sovereign may hold many different outlooks and desires, they prize the collective over the individual.
With this in mind, I’ve been contemplating my social obligations. In what ways am I upholding or breaking my social contracts? How do I contribute to my community?
Moreover, as time went on, results were no longer a motivator. I looked back at my academic career and found myself saying, “Is that it… is that all I’ve done?” At that point in my life, I needed something bigger than myself. I needed my “why.”
Why am I here?
I came to realize that the promises of tomorrow are based off of the commitments I make today. Over the years, I’ve shied away from difficult courses, changed my major a few times, and altogether contemplated dropping out. The only thing that has prevented me from this is knowing that I have something to give. That each challenge is an opportunity to be better than I was. To then take what I have learned and direct it towards helping my community. In other words, it’s not about me; it’s about what I can eventually do for others.
Why computer science?
Every day I try to remind myself of this. When I fall down rabbit holes of YouTube tutorials. When I study a 30-year-old programming textbook. Or, when I pull all-nighters to handle compiler errors longer than my forearm. I now view each challenge as a stepping stone on the path to becoming a better programmer.
From my efforts, I will be able to fulfill my social contract and make a difference in my community. With the end goal of being the change that I want to see in the world and not idly waiting for it to happen. if not you, then who?