A Bold Way Forward

History Has Its Eyes on You

People like you are seeing the problems that are being ignored, mishandled, or blatantly exploited by traditional institutions, and they are creating their own solutions. Because if obvious solutions could have come from obvious sources, they would have happened already. But oftentimes, those obvious sources have a vested interest in the status quo. People seeking solutions are no longer willing to wait for governments, corporations, or traditional institutions to lead. People like you are finding ways to respond with creativity, energy, and even optimism, tackling local, national, and global problems with powerful ideas and new tools.

Redeeming Capitalism

Over the last five decades, we have come to conflate corruption with capitalism. Bad Capitalism turned Profit into an idol, and we have sacrificed life and liberty at its altar. But ‘money’ is ever enough; profit is insufficient. And the quest for success (or excess) will never satisfy our deeper call to significance. And while Bad Capitalism anchors its ethos in The Profit Motive, Good Capitalism anchors its ethos in "The Purpose Motive." Because purpose is the point. Humans are wired for it; businesses neglect it; customers demand it; and the world needs it. The Purpose Motive does not dismiss the role of profit, but it views profit as a tool, not the goal; a means to an end, but my no means the end in itself. And a capitalism that works in the public interest, and is used as a tool to advance the good of people and planet is what I call Good Capitalism. 

Social Entrepreneurship

Social entrepreneurship puts Good Capitalism into action. Previously, people motivated by social or ethical concerns did not view business as a means to their dreams. "Purpose-driven" individuals tended to pursue humanitarian fields, while "profit-driven" individuals tended to enter the business landscape. But this binary way of thinking has blinded us to alternative uses for business, and can cause us to miss out on opportunities for profound change and transformation.Social entrepreneurship blends the brains of a business with the heart of a humanitarian to create innovative solutions to address the world's biggest challenges. This invites humanitarians to step into the economic landscape, create solutions they wish existed, and generate economic agency as they drive positive social change. 

The Future of Democracy

Democracies flourish to the extent that the largest number of citizens can shape and participate in civic life. Social entrepreneurship allows citizens to do exactly that. In the United States, we have settled into the complacency of "minimalist citizenship." We are content to believe that a good citizen votes, pays taxes, abides by the law, and serves in the military when called. Anything beyond that is considered optional, although admirable. But our core duties are fairly passive: voting is a process of giving power away; and paying taxes is done begrudgingly. We have failed to recognize that citizenship comes with a responsibility to better society. Because this fundamental democratic ideal has been drowned out by self-indulgent calls to action by masterfully-crafted Profit Motive marketing. America's founding fathers looked beyond their economic interests to create new institutions that would realize their vision for a greater good and a better future. Social entrepreneurship is today's response driven by the failure of old institutions to meet the needs of our time. 

The Time is Now

We are living at an unbelievable time in history, when individuals and small groups can influence entire nations. And with modern technology, the spread of information, and our organizing capacity, we have more constructive capacity than ever before. But with the rate of change, and the urgency of today's social, economic, and environmental crises, the need for more changemakers is urgent. The future belongs to a different kind of person with a different kind of mind: to people who want to create, innovate, and solve interesting (and important) problems; to people who want to make things better by making better things. You have a unique set of strengths that will set you apart in this strange new world. You challenge old assumptions, and move the rest of us beyond our stale and stuck ways of thinking in order to face our biggest problems with bold ideas and new solutions. And as you create solutions you wish existed, you'll embolden others to create solutions too. And the time is now.

"This will strike some as a burdensome responsibility; but it will summon others to greatness." -John Gardner