3 More Videos About the Power of a Few

Too often, we wait for the people in charge to fix world problems. Why not? Isn’t that their role? Our hopes are raised when we see people with our point of view gain power, and then we are disappointed when they fail to live up to our expectations. The status quo inertia in the current political and economic systems is amazingly strong. When people with important titles fail to shake it up, we may wonder if mere mortals like us can possibly make a difference.

These videos help us overcome our self-doubts. To view these videos in full screen, click on the arrows in the bottom right corner of the video. If you are receiving this blog post via email, click on the title of the video to view it.

1. Lost Generation (1:44 minutes)This is short, clever, animated film about how our individual small steps can lead to big changes. The “ripple effect” is how I often describe my own efforts to make a difference through my talks and other resources that build capacity in others. As with a pebble dropped into a pond, the ripples go in all directions. We may never know what they end up touching. They may spawn new ripples. And so on. The metaphor works for me and may work for others. Let keep making splashes.

Every so often we see something that gives us hope. A palindrome reads the same backwards as forward. This video reads the exact opposite backwards as forward. Not only does it read the opposite, the meaning is the exact opposite. Make sure you listen through to the end. This is a video that was submitted in a contest by a 20-year old. The contest was titled “u @ 50” by AARP. This video won second place. When they showed it, everyone in the room was awe-struck and broke into spontaneous applause. So simple and yet so brilliant.

2.Be a Follower (3:12 minutes)Once you get past the shaky, amateur camera work, the message is excellent. “The first follower transforms a lone nut into a leader … We’re told we all need to be leaders, but that would be really ineffective. The best way to make a movement, if you really care, is to courageously follow and show others how to follow. When you find a lone nut doing something great, have the guts to be the first person to stand up and join in.” Amen.

3. Blessed Unrest: The Film (5:48 minutes)This is short, clever, animated film about how our individual small steps can lead to big changes. The “ripple effect” is how I often describe my own efforts to make a difference through my talks and other resources that build capacity in others. As with a pebble dropped into a pond, the ripples go in all directions. We may never know what they end up touching. They may spawn new ripples. And so on. The metaphor works for me and may work for others. Let keep making splashes.

In a previous blog, I mentioned that Amory Lovins is one of my top-5 favorite sustainability champions. Paul Hawken is also in my top-5 group. His book, The Ecology of Commerce, woke me up. In this video, Paul Hawken talks about the essence of his bestselling latest book, Blessed Unrest. He describes the largest social movement of movements in history. We are all part of this organic force for change.  His message is energizing and hopeful.

Some of the videos I have covered in this series of blogs are more appropriate for private viewing than public viewing. I hope you have found them instructive and inspiring. If you know of other similar videos, please suggest them in the Comments section below.

Bob