A good ancestor can build a better tomorrow if they have the following traits

1. is self aware of their strengths and opportunities for improvement
2. lives vs exists
3. kind
4. strives to live up to their potential
5. whether known or not, they postively influence or act as a role model for others.

Becoming a Good Ancestor
As I reflect on life today and the stories of those I admire, I am reminded of the kind of ancestor I hope to become. My grandfather, Rumunyiire, is remembered as a great man, a great ancestor. Though he passed away in the 1970s, the tales of his strength and courage continue to live on.

He was a man of the hills, vast, endless landscapes where he thrived alongside the lions that roamed them. While many feared these wild lands, he embraced them without hesitation. It was on these very hills that he built his home, crafting mud houses and cultivating the land. Yet, he did not seek to tame nature entirely. He left the drinking places and salt licks untouched, allowing the animals to partake in the rhythms of the wild, harmonizing with the landscape he so deeply respected.

To this day, when I walk those lands, I still see the mineral licks, marked by signs that animals continue to use them. He forbade us from ever tampering with them, ensuring that his legacy of coexistence with nature endured long after he was gone.

Conversations with the elders reveal that my grandfather was not only a strong and courageous man but also a kind and honest one. He was known for his generosity, often sharing food from his plantation with the village during times of hunger.

After each harvest, when he returned to the village, he would host grand gatherings, celebrations filled with laughter, food, and a deep sense of community. He ensured that no one left empty-handed. His presence brought warmth and abundance, and people eagerly anticipated his visits, knowing they would be filled with joy and the promise of another unforgettable celebration.

Beyond his generosity, he was a man of principle and justice. Whenever someone in the village committed an immoral act, he was among the first to speak out. He would forbid such behavior, discourage those involved, and ensure that corrective measures were taken within the community. He upheld the values of those around him, not out of self-righteousness, but because he believed in the importance of a strong, moral society.

However, despite the many stories that paint him as a saint, I do not believe he was one. I have walked this earth for 27 years, encountering countless people, yet I have never met anyone who truly fits the description of sainthood. By that logic, my grandfather couldn’t have been one either.

What I do believe is that he was a good man, one who did a great deal of good for his children and his community. His kindness, courage, and generosity left behind stories that have endured through generations, so much so that they have overshadowed any faults he may have had. And perhaps that is the true measure of a life well lived, not the absence of flaws, but the presence of an undeniable and lasting impact.

What Does It Mean to Be a Good Ancestor?
When I am asked this question, my answer is simple:

To be a good ancestor is to do a great deal of good, not just for your immediate generation, but for the generations that follow. True greatness is measured by the lasting impact of one’s actions, shaping a future where others can thrive. The highest form of good is one that prevents existential catastrophe, ensuring that those who come after us inherit a better world.

History offers many examples of such ancestors, figures like Nelson Mandela, who fought for the rights and dignity of South Africans, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire.

In my time, there are individuals whom we believe have the potential to become great ancestors, people like Bobi Wine, Kizza Besigye, and Justice Kisakye. However, history will be their ultimate judge. Time will test their actions, challenge their legacies, and determine whether their impact endures.

If future generations continue to feel the weight of their influence, if their work continues to shape lives long after they are gone, then they will have truly become good ancestors.

And that, above all else, is the legacy I, too, hope to leave behind.

The Legacy of Njalira Kassim, A Good Ancestor

In the vast, rolling plateaus of Eastern Uganda, where the morning mist clings to the golden rice fields and the rivers hum with life, the name Njalira Kassim is spoken with deep respect. He was more than just a man; he was a visionary, a guide, and a builder of a future he knew he would never see. But his legacy? That would live on forever.

Njalira Kassim my great-grandfather  was the man who brought Islam to our village, not just as a religion, but as a path to morality, discipline, and unity. In a time when conflicts brewed over simple disputes, and people lost their way in the absence of strong values, he stood firm, teaching that true strength lay in kindness, honesty, and faith. Under the shade of an ancient fig tree, he gathered the community and spoke of compassion, justice, and humility. His words took root, and over time, they transformed the very fabric of our village.

But his wisdom stretched far beyond faith. He saw the land for what it was a gift, not just for his time, but for generations yet to come. The vast swamps that now nourish our rice fields might have been lost if not for his foresight. He worked tirelessly to protect them, ensuring that the people who relied on them would always have food, stability, and dignity. Today, when I walk through those same green paddies, I know they are more than just fields; they are his enduring promise to us.

He believed in the power of the soil and the hands that tilled it. “The land will never betray you if you respect it,” he would say, urging the community to embrace farming as a way of life. And they listened. To this day, agriculture remains the backbone of our village’s economy, just as he envisioned. He gave people a purpose, a livelihood, and most importantly, a future they could build with their own hands.

As I walk through the village, I feel the sensation of dazzling hues of birds and towering trees swaying in the breeze, whispering reminders of the great name I carry and adore Njalira Kassim. His spirit lingers in the rustling leaves, in the songs of the birds that welcome each new dawn, and in the fields that stretch endlessly, still feeding the generations he never met.

To be a good ancestor, like my great-grandfather, is to think beyond oneself to plant trees under whose shade we may never sit, to shape a world that is kinder, fairer, and more sustainable for those who follow. He lived with foresight, knowing that the choices he made would echo through time. He valued knowledge and wisdom, ensuring that his people were equipped not just to survive, but to thrive. He led with humility, understanding that true leadership is found in service, not power.

Even now, as I stand beneath the same sky he once did, I hope that one day, I too will leave behind something that matters. That I will not only be remembered for what I achieved but for what I gave to those who come after me.

Like Njalira Kassim, I, too, hope to be a good ancestor.

A good ancestor takes what he has learned in his life and uses lessons learned to contribute solving issues that may affect next generations. This could be done in his community or to a broader audience as a legacy to be further passed on as an olympic torch. In doing so, it would be important to remind lessons from history and that what we enjoy today is a result of people's fights in previous centuries. Degradation of social rights is one neglected problem I would personally focus on. 

Ah this touches my heart because it sends me back quite a few years to when I was keenly reading the words and wisdom of Subcomandante Marcos, representative and voice of the Zapatista, the indigenous people of Chiapas, Mexico.

There is a collection of readings, letters and excerpts, titled 'Our Word is our Weapon' and within it a reading 'To Plant The Tree of Tomorrow'. He recounts a very old story as a metaphor to answering the question 'What the Zapatista Want?' in response to mixed media messages (I have posted a link to the copy of the reading free online at the end, I encourage anyone to read, it is as beautiful as it is profound to the point).

My reason for recounting it in the context of EA and this exercise is what Marcos precedes and follows the story telling with:

===

"Now, it is not going to be easy for the media to understand us. For some strange reason, the Zapatistas speak to the future. I mean our words don’t fit in the present, but are made to fit into the puzzle that is yet to be finished."

"...And if I am telling you this story, it is not just to give our regards to the first ones, nor is it just to make you a gift of a little piece of that memory that seems lost and forgotten. No, not just for those things, but also to try to answer the question of what the Zapatistas want.

To plant the tree of tomorrow, that is what we want. We know that in these frenetic times of “realistic” politics, of fallen banners, of polls substituting for democracy, of neoliberal criminals who call for crusades against what they are hiding and what feeds them, of chameleon-like metamorphoses, saying we want to plant the tree of tomorrow sounds foolish and crazy; but nevertheless, to us it is not a phrase born of drama or obsolete utopianism.

We know all that, and nevertheless, that is what we want. And that is what we are doing. How many people in the worlds that make up the world can say as we do, that they are doing what they want to? We think there are many, that the worlds of the world are filled with crazy and foolish people each planting their trees for each of their tomorrows, and that the day will come when this mountainside of the universe that some call Planet Earth will be filled with trees of all colors, and there will be so many birds and comforts that ... yes, it is likely no one will remember the first ones, because all the yesterdays which vex us today will be no more than an old page in the old book of the old history.

The tree of tomorrow is a space where everyone is, where the other knows and respects the other others, and where the false light loses its last battle. If you press me to be precise, I would tell you it is a place with democracy, liberty, and justice: that is the tree of tomorrow.

This is what the Zapatistas want. It might seem I’ve been vague in my answer, but I haven’t. I have never spoken so clearly before. In any case, times will come in which these words will fit, and together their embrace will expand, and they’ll be heard and guarded, and they’ll grow. That is what the words are for, and yes, also those who go speak them"

===

His words "a world in which many worlds fit" and "... worlds of the world are filled with crazy and foolish people each planting their trees for their tomorrows' struck me years ago deep in my heart. But I never felt until now I was helping contributing to that tomorrow world I will happily not see, but wish to help ensure has a reality.
EA has and is the potential to be that great forest that is discovered in the future and appreciated for that minority of people who planted it knowing they will never see it, but were aware of the importance of ancestry.  

"To the first ones Those who came later understood. Health to you."

Open Source Link to full reading: 
58. Closing Words at the National Encuentro in Defense of the Cultural Heritage - AUGUST 14, 1999
To Plant The Tree of Tomorrow

Who doesn't want to be a good ancestor given a choice? Indeed the answer would be yes for almost all of us. But what it means to be a good ancestor may be a vague idea to think upon as most of us doesn't want to think beyond a very predictable near future.also we are not trained to think to a distant future timeline. I think it requires practice and common man is not bothered about those bits of extra stress and strain on their brain.

Few traits which I think is a prerequisites for being a good ancestor:

1. Well Informed - information guides and shape our thought, helps us to imagine and finally leads to a better decision. Being open to diversity of information always helps to weigh the decisions against different sets of data hence increased is the chances of better outcome.

2. learning to unlearn- with ages we all accumulate different sort of informations based on our immediate environment,traditions and practices. Many times learning new things create conflicts untill we unlearn some.

3. Accepting chage- for changing the world a better place personal opinion and decisions can be compromised at any cost.

4. Long termism- Thinking and learning and discussing about issues and topics which are beyond the present or near future timelines may seems to be a friction and fantacy but it helps taking actions for future. Imagining a world which is far from today is not everyone's cup of tea, it needs practice and going through a continuous process of learning about how to think logically about the unknown based on available information and facts.

5. Art of giving- unconditional giving is an art. It's not an spontaneous decision man takes with very little exception. Only a child can show some acts of unconditional giving. For a man with matured or developed brain can rarely show the signs of unconditional love or giving anything. A learned man can give unditionally but mostly after training and practicing the act willfully.

That's only a few which comes to my mind for now, but there may be more and may be I'm missing the the most important ones. I'm open to explore more from others views on the subject.

I really appreciate this question — it invites me to pause and reflect on my place in the larger story of humanity. When I think about what it means to be a good ancestor, I picture myself standing in a long line — generations behind me, generations ahead. I recognize that my actions today don’t just touch my own life; they ripple into the future, shaping the world my great-grandchildren and their grandchildren will inherit.

For me, a good ancestor is someone who holds both compassion and foresight. It’s someone who takes their stewardship seriously — caring for the environment, creating more just communities, and passing on knowledge and skills that will help those who come after me thrive. It’s also someone who is humble enough to realize that my time here is short, and that the choices I make will matter long after I’m gone.

Being a good ancestor means making decisions that go beyond my immediate comfort or gain. It’s living with integrity — using only my fair share of resources, choosing sustainability over convenience, and lifting up those who have been pushed to the margins. It’s acting with empathy across time, not just toward the people I can see, but toward those I’ll never meet.

More than anything, I believe being a good ancestor requires hopeful action. Even though the future is uncertain, I can do my part — protecting the land, sharing stories and traditions, and fostering communities that think beyond themselves and care for one another. These are small things, but they add up.

In the end, to be a good ancestor is to live in a way my ancestors would be proud of, and my descendants will thank me for. It’s a reminder that I’m part of something much larger than myself, and that I can help build a world where future generations can not only survive, but truly flourish.

For me, being a good ancestor is about planting the right seeds and ensuring they grow in the best environment. In our current world, where so much feels distorted, I see Effective Altruism as tending to the branches: addressing urgent needs and correcting immediate harms. That work is vital — we can’t ignore suffering right in front of us.

But if we only tend the branches and never touch the roots, the cycle will continue. Problems will keep sprouting in new forms, because the deeper cause — human nature itself — hasn’t been addressed. Just like in a garden, if we plant weeds, it doesn’t matter how often we pull them out; they’ll keep returning and choking what could have flourished.

To me, being a good ancestor means not only solving today’s crises, but also cultivating the soil — reshaping the roots of who we are — so that future generations inherit a garden where goodness can grow more naturally.

A good ancestor takes on the set of problems that they can have the greatest impact in solving. If today there is an opportunity to prevent a global technocracy from taking power, we must tackle that problem, as future generations will not be likely to have a chance to overthrow such a powerful entity. If a future generation will have an equal chance of solving a certain problem, and delaying the solving of the problem doesn't cause immense suffering, it is not the ancestor's most pressing problem to solve. 

To be a good ancestor it requires the current generation to dedicate a portion of our efforts in to understanding the values of potential future beings. This is incredibly hard, but also crucial for creating interventions that makes a positive social impact.

As we aim to predict further in time, the more uncertain the impact of our actions become. It is reasonable that we give ourselves leniency in forecasting the far future.

I'm not sure what kind of research would be best for understanding the value of future generations. It seems to me, a key assumption of longtermist thinking is that future generations will have somewhat similar values to out current ones. I am not so sure this is to be the case if humans were, for example, genetically modified, become digital beings, or something else altogether. I'm not so certain whether those futures are possible, but I think it is important to keep in mind when trying to make a positive impact into the future.

Where does our duty to the future end? I feel as if the best I can do is make some rounded estimates on my future impact and examine those assessments after significant changes in the information I posses.

It is also difficult to maintain such a far reaching perspective of my actions. Sometimes I wonder if all of that time were better spent simply investigating rather than letting my mind wonder. Writing that though, I think it is best to find a balance between investigative and speculative thinking. It'd be very difficult to be effective if I didn't let myself ponder on more unusual ideas. 
 

Being a decent ancestor to me personally is to become a researcher in computer science and technology to personally design and develop bits of software for those biohazard resistant full body swimsuits or humanity centric AI that would help us humans to survive despite our self-destructive tendencies.

A good ancestor not only wants to protect their lineage from financial and livelihood risks, they also take into consideration the world they're building for their future generations to live in.

A good ancestor doesn't raze forests in the name of industrialization with the intent of growing the financial corpus they'll pass on to down their inheritors, instead they consider that the resulting climate change might just make the world unlivable no matter how wealthy one is.

A good ancestor doesn't think of their transactional life as a zero-sum game, instead they look at ways to symbiotically grow as a civilization to ensure the optimal future for the collective.

A good ancestor understands that no amount of resource appropriation can change the fact that each of us a re a singular human being in society, and nothing more or nothing less.

A good ancestor must respect the lives around them before striving for lives not yet born.

What is the definition of good?

I think it is a return to the nature of human beings to meet their basic needs for survival and to achieve a prosperous life, where each person realizes his or her potential, where human relationships are good, and where there is harmonious social coexistence. 

This requires a society that is fair, diverse, accepting of different opinions and a healthy ecosystem.  Therefore, I believe that as good ancestors, we need to establish a system that monitors and takes preventive measures for all of these elements to ensure that they are not jeopardized by short-term interests. And when we know that development has deviated from the direction, we must make timely corrections.

Exercise Reflection: What Does It Mean to Be a Good Ancestor?

Thinking about what it means to be a good ancestor is important. When we think about the future, we should consider how our actions today affect the lives of our grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A good ancestor is someone who cares about the long-term impact of their choices. They think about how today’s decisions can shape the world for future generations.

A good ancestor is responsible, meaning they take care of the environment and society. They make choices that help the planet and ensure that future generations have what they need to live well. They also show empathy, which means they understand and care about the struggles of people in the future. Being forward-thinking, they embrace new ideas and technologies that can solve big problems, even if those solutions come with some risks. They need to be courageous too, standing up for what is right, even when others disagree.

In terms of actions, a good ancestor invests in solutions that will help the future, like supporting projects that fight climate change and improve public health. They promote education by learning about the challenges future generations might face and sharing that knowledge with others. They also advocate for strong rules and agreements that protect future generations, pushing for policies that focus on sustainability and ethics.

A good ancestor believes in fairness for everyone, making sure that future generations have equal rights and opportunities. They want to leave a positive legacy, which means they take steps to create a better world for those who come after them. By being responsible, caring, and active in creating change, we can all be good ancestors and help build a brighter future for the generations to come.

A good ancestor. One who has ancestors is a descendant. Descendants need not be a genetic lineage (not necessarily even human), but rather the constitution of the living world some time into the future. A good ancestor should act in the present, with a specific vision for the future. A good ancestor should ideally "add value" to the world, that is, reduce suffering one way or another. This of course could be through means of direct, focused work toward progression of a relevant and underserved cause, or by philanthropy of any means. A good ancestor is one who takes a look at every major action they take, every donation they make, beyond the numbers, and asks themselves, "how will this affect the world after I've gone?" They research this well and inform their opinions with such. A good ancestor provides.

We all want our kids, people around us or our future grandkids and great grandkids to remember us for some good deed we did instead of bad deeds. Having said this, i think  a good ancestor  should be one who is part of advocacy againist vices such as racism, women and men exploitation, terrosism among others. He or she should be in the frontline fighting against things that harm humanity and ensuring that the ultimate goal is survival.

A good ancestor should also be open minded, open to the changing society, open to learning and open to listening to people around him or her. Lastly, a good ancestor should be involved in giving back to the community hence impacting a number of people positively. 

A good ancestor is someone who leaves the world a little more capable of solving its own problems.

I don't think being a good ancestor means predicting the future perfectly or trying to control it. We know far less about future generations' needs than about our own. 

A good ancestor thinks beyond immediate incentives and recognizes that today's decisions can shape opportunities and risks for people who will never know their names.

A good ancestor is committed to building and preserving trustworthy institutions, protecting democratic values, investing in education and scientific knowledge, reducing avoidable risks, and caring for the natural environment. 

At a personal level, a good ancestor shares knowledge, mentors others, and contributes to communities rather than treating achievements as only individual. They leave behind ideas, relationships, and systems that continue to benefit others after they're gone.

I also think humility is an important virtue for a good ancestor. We cannot know exactly what future generations will value, so we should avoid imposing our own vision of the future too rigidly. Our responsibility is not to decide their lives for them, but to leave them with as many opportunities as possible and as few irreversible harms as we can.

Ultimately, being a good ancestor means acting with the awareness that our lives are part of a much longer story, and even the smallest of choices can shape the world inherited by people we'll never meet.