Why am I passionate about this?
As a psychologist with environmental interests people often ask me about hope. It goes something like this: âClimate change is pushing us toward disaster! What is your source of hope?â I finally figured out that I only have one source of hope. It is that we, as people, are able to work together just well enough to keep it all afloat. Thereâs a lot involved in working together â learning to listen with compassion, run good meetings, empower everyone to give of their best, and rebuild trust when it starts to break down. Iâve been researching these topics in community settings for the past 15 years.
Niki's book list on living well together
Why did Niki love this book?
This was the book that introduced me to complex systems. Many people have become familiar with complex systems in recent years as weâve been exposed to talk of feedback loops and probability through discussions on climate change. Little inputs can make a big difference and big inputs sometimes collapse under the weight of their own inertia. This book has one of those titles that work their way into your imagination â getting to maybe?
It does not suggest you set goals and work, head down, towards your personal mission. It suggests that you take a look around, gather with others, invite ideas based on peopleâs passions, and get started. It is all about experimenting and learning together. Then, maybe, something will good will happen. The book offers plenty of inspiring examples of significant social change as a result of genuine innovation and listening to many voices.
1 author picked Getting to Maybe as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.
A practical, inspirational, revolutionary guide to social innovation
Many of us have a deep desire to make the world around us a better place. But often our good intentions are undermined by the fear that we are so insignificant in the big scheme of things that nothing we can do will actually help feed the worldâs hungry, fix the damage of a Hurricane Katrina or even get a healthy lunch program up and running in the local school. We tend to think that great social change is the province of heroes â an intimidating view of reality that keeps ordinaryâŠ