I have been doing a little reading here in the woods and have stumbled across one of my favorite genre's - Do Gooders Doin' Good! Yep, stories where people do good in the world just because they want to. If I had to pick a non-fiction book that makes me happiest and inspires me to take on the world one injustice at a time it would have to be this particular genre. Now there seems to be fiction that is taking on that world view too.
For those of you wondering what to do with your life you might consider Leaving Microsoft to Change the World. He chose to leave Microsoft, with a small fortune, and start a nonprofit that builds schools, libraries and funds education in Tibet, India, Africa and beyond. For $8,000 you can fund a school - for $10,000 you can tack on a library. This is the stuff that makes me choke up and wonder why we aren't all giving our time to noble causes. The line that hit me was "this is the time for us all to be superhero's" and we can. It take SO little to make a difference. Not to mention, I would rate him as one of the all time most eligible bachelors - if you can keep up with him.
Then onto Ralph Nader's fictional book Only the Super Rich can Save Us. I am only into this 160 pages and it makes me so frustrated my hair is starting to curl. The premise is that Warren Buffet arranges for 20 or so of his super rich friends to take on the status quo. They stage "Pot Offensives" to show the ridiculousness of banning industrial hemp (did you know that International Paper Company wants to grow it), get Warren Beatty to run for Gov of California (even though I think he is past his prime and Matt Damon might be a better pick), and Yoko Ono sends 3 million households CLF light bulbs just for asking. That is just the beginning - he is showing what we, as average American's, could be doing if we would just get off our ass. More on this book as I sink deeper in.
The Power of Unreasonable People is my next tome. I didn't think I would like this because it was put out by Harvard Press. I thought it might be too dry, but it is actually a great introduction into social investing. It gives examples of business models that are being tried all over the world. Practical solutions to societies ills but impracticable people. This book has me thinking about the possibilities and where we can go if we just put some great minds together.
It is my goal to make a difference and if I can be inspired by others who are doing it all the better - what are you reading and what are you doing to change your world?
