Components of Contribution

          Is making a seemingly futile contribution pointless, or potentially praising? Individual, minimal-effecting contribution on a grand scale, seems useless, considering 1 single portion out of a massive multitude is quite most often insignificant and inconsequential. Mathematically, if 1 portion is 1 out of 99, there’s a 1% chance any individual portion will have a deciding effect (under the circumstance where the outcome ends up being 50 – 49), or more extremely, 1 of 1 million has a 0.0001% chance. Just as alternatively, 1 portion of 3 has a 33% influence or chance of having a deciding effect. So from that perspective, it seems reasonable that a minimal contribution is irrelevant. 

But, -with further analysis- in the massively complex extents of this world, that minimal contribution almost certainly also has some percentage chance of accomplishing something beneficial, in a multitude of alternate ways. So, mathematically considering the additional variable chances, granted- likely to be all small percentages, would likely significantly increase the overall accumulated percentage probability of that 1 portion having an influence or deciding effect. This is perhaps difficult to understand in such generic, theoretical, calculative terms (but in my mind almost anything can be understood by bringing it back to its more generally, vastly applicable form and viewed as a theoretically estimated equation), so an example in reality might make it more plausibly understandable. A practical example could be; an individual making a $10 donation, to a charity with a goal to raise $100 000. Mathematically, dealing with the direct distinct variables, it seems there’s a 0.01% influence that 10 has on 100 000. So, why bother right?

If the grand scale perspective is taken into consideration, there is a vast extent of alternative variables (virtually indistinguishable) with potential additional benefit. In this example, a hypothetical, alternate positive outcome could be perhaps someone else being influenced and inspired by your donation, and in turn making their own donation (this on its own, virtually doubling the percentage influence), with the additional even greater positive outcome possibility, of that donation influencing another, and so on, with a potential massive positive outcome, even if minimally probable. That is one example off the top of my head, but there will typically be numerous plausible ways the action in consideration gives an advantageous percentage probability to a positive outcome.

Ultimately, mathematically any decision comes down to potential positive effect weighed against potential negative effect. In estimation, these potentials for considerable positive outcomes accumulate, and when mathematically combined and averaged out to a percentage, outweigh the potential for negative outcomes. Additionally, in reference to the example, the $10 is mathematically less than 0.01% influential on your life (assuming you will be in possession of more than $100 000 over the course of your life) as a negative, so the positive still outweighs the negative. Though, this specific point takes into perspective the weight ratio of importance and priority of you compared to others, and an assumption of equality estimation (which is a whole other topic to be analysed :)  

Contribution in life can come in a massive variety of forms and situations and will almost always be virtually impossible to weigh the percentage chances of all aspects accurately, so rough estimation is likely necessary to make the best decision. These different varieties of options of contribution will likely come up in nearly every element of life, requiring an option to choose, and if you’re consciously aware of the possibilities, a decision to make. The potential for contribution may present itself in any circumstances from; the distinct option of choosing to vote for the person you believe is most worthy, rather than whom everyone else is voting for, to; the vaguer, discrete possibility of choosing to recycle a bottle, rather than throwing it the garbage. Whichever happens to be your current circumstance, keep in mind that mathematically (besides generally, morally), if you want to play the better odds, make your contribution.