Are we being good ancestors? So said Jonas Salk, who developed the polio vaccine in 1953 but refused to patent it—forgoing profit so that more lives could be saved. Salk’s radical generosity to future generations should inspire us. Yet when leading philosopher Roman Krznaric examines society today, he sees just the opposite: Our short term mindsets have “colonized the future.”

But Krznaric sees reason to hope. Yes, the urgent struggle for intergenerational justice calls for hugely ambitious solutions, from rewiring our growth-at-all-costs economy, to immediate action on climate change, to giving voters of future generations a voice in our democracies. And at the heart of all these changes is one we can enact within ourselves: We must trade shortsightedness for long-term thinking.

Hear from Krznaric below in his TED Talk on being better ancestors, as part of the TED Countdown event. And be sure to pick up a copy of Krznaric’s book (and the inspiration for his talk), The Good Ancestor, available now.

Our descendants own the future, but the decisions and actions we make now will tremendously impact generations to come, says philosopher Roman Krznaric. From a global campaign to grant legal personhood to nature to a groundbreaking lawsuit by a coalition of young activists, Krznaric shares examples of ways we can become good ancestors—or, as he calls them, “Time Rebels”—and join a movement redefining lifespans, pursuing intergenerational justice and practicing deep love for the planet.