On personal motivation

If any individual human cannot be greater than the sum of parts of the human race, is there a dis-incentive to personal excellence? If anyone falls short of the ubermensch ideal, isn't it logical to say that someone else will pick up the slack and we can never have a net degradation to society?

And yet certain individuals in history seem to show themselves to be greater than the common clout by virtue of having diverted and being in control of large amounts of manpower. Either by charisma, or some impressive trait. It seems that the key to a strong legacy would lie in rallying the masses, and not a romantic devotion to personal excellence. Pity.

On charity

Do people have the right to basic amenity and dignity if they do not contribute to society? I leave the disabled and incapacitated out of the argument as my moral view holds that the able should fend for the incapable.

However what about the stragglers of society? Many may view this as a straightforward black and white choice, especially those who've grown in a merit-based society as I have.

Viewing a youtube video of a man who gives of his own heart to everyone who cannot find the means to support themselves has set me thinking, and I realize, that these 'stragglers of society' will be omnipresent at least for now, and when the reality comes down to it, can you truly choose to ignore another suffering human life?

Everything has shades of gray, you just need to remove those tinted-mental-lenses.