Photo by Todd Quackenbush on Unsplash

We tend to think of society as a super-organism that follows strict rules and runs like clockwork. At a macroscopic level, this description is fairly correct. But at an individual level, things tend to differ quite a lot.

Unlike other organisms, humans have the luxurious advantage of deciding whether or not they will do something at any given time. Unless someone is holding a gun to your head, you are pretty much free to do whatever you want, every second of every day. Free will hasn’t always played out well for humanity, but it’s undeniable that we have it in copious amounts.

This elevates the notion that individual actions are important, and that these actions affect society profoundly. Warren Buffett captured this idea in 16 words flat using analogy that even a 4-year-old could understand:

“Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”

— Warren Buffett

Of course, of all the trees in the world very few of them have been meticulously planted by people. But the parallel speaks volumes about individuality, and it speaks to me personally because I happen to love planting trees. I’m not a fanatic about it, but there’s something about a sprouting acorn or walnut that fills my soul with joy. I love the idea of revisiting one of these trees when I’m an old geezer. Not all of them will make it to maturity, but hopefully at least one will have grown big enough to lend its shade to passers-by on hot summer days.

Warren Buffett doesn’t need an introduction, but for the sake of everyone’s understanding, he is one of America’s most famous business magnates and has been labeled the most successful investor of the 20th century. He consistently ranks among the world’s wealthiest people and, to no one’s surprise, he is also one of the world’s most influential people. Buffett is also a philanthropist, and he is the chairman, CEO and largest shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway.