Idea Village

I worked on a brief for Planning For Good a few months ago. The objective was to help re-invigorate the economy in New Orleans. We submitted an idea explaining how great minds cultivate smart ideas that lay the foundation for creativity and productivity. Flooding New Orleans with a team of innovators and entrepreneurs would enable them to rebuild their city around an infrastructure of businesses headed by brilliant people. It seems the initiative is under way and this film encourages the concept behind the brief.

the evolution of good

Two friends of mine have recently embarked on separate missions to increase the good we all do in this world. People are constantly telling us that humans are inherently good and I believe it. We're heading towards a point in history where humanity takes a leap and it will be an evolution in the way we think and act.

We've seen enough maps filled with bubbles indicating where and how frequently crimes occur, or where the nearest sex offender lives, but I've yet to see a map filled with acts of kindness. I recently read a WSJ article about social networking enabling philanthropy. Non-profits and volunteers are popping up all over Facebook innovative ideas fostering communities that make it easier to volunteer and contribute to a cause you believe in. Advertising planners can do more than brand a product, they can crack a brief to help solve problems for non-profits and causes eg. resolving the New Orleans crisis or entrepreneurs can participate in micro finance by facilitating a small business in a developing country.

These are all great examples of a larger collective movement towards a fundamental change in how we are treating each other better. There is a shift taking place encouraging us to act upon our inherently good nature. Maybe we're tired of the perception that we're living in fear, maybe social networking is facilitating our dormant acts of kindness or maybe we're finally evolving to a point where we can all embrace a new level of kindness.