Imagine, Connect, Act

Walk down the street or open any newspaper, and you'll see something that will make you think, “It's 2009, we have governments, organizations, universities, TV, radio, email, cell phones, a space station... and this is happening? Why?”

Probably for many reasons, all of which can seem beside the point. You know that this—whatever story or situation struck you—is wrong or sad or scary or a horrible waste. And we all know that with all the resources we have now we should be able to do much more about so many of our local and global problems.

The trouble, of course, is that life is complicated. People have egos and interests and different opinions, and groups have histories and conflicts. These things are real and they will always be with us, but what if there is a way around them? What if by looking at the world from a different point of view we can quickly build a network of people and organizations that will allow us to make the most of what each of us has to offer, online and in person?

What you'll find here is a vision for this network, a path and a timeline to get there, and an invitation to be part of this movement from the very start.

Three challenges that can bring us together

When we look at the news now, problems of all kinds come at us and overwhelm us. War, poverty, corruption, climate change, financial crises, broken health and education systems… These problems, and many others, are big and complex, and we can't just get up and solve them.

But let's shift our perspective for a moment. Instead of facing this torrent of news, step aside and watch it flow beside you for a minute or two. If we do this, we can see three challenges that run across all issues and communities. These challenges are quiet—you'll seldom see them in the news—but they affect all of us. And if we can overcome them, most of our other problems will be easier to deal with.

These three challenges are:

1. A big gap between our good intentions and our actions.

2. Our problems are connected, but we are not.

3. The world is full of good ideas that don't spread quickly enough.

Let's look at each of these challenges and then see how by using every available means—from the Web to a bulletin board on a village tree—we can do something about them.

1. The gap between our intentions and our actions

Every day many of us would like to respond in some way to what's happening around us, but for a variety of reasons we don't. We may feel, rightly or wrongly, that we have no time, no resources, no power, or no impact (why bother, it won't make a difference anyway). We may not know where to start, what to do, or who to work with. We may be afraid of failure, ridicule, meetings and committees, wasting our time, getting depressed…

This list could go on, but the point is that this challenge—or opportunity—is huge. Imagine, to use a very pessimistic average, that most people feel the urge to fix something or help someone at least once a month, and don’t act on that impulse. With close to seven billion people on Earth this comes to 200 million missed opportunities every day, and probably many more.

This gap between intention and action applies not only to individuals, but also to organizations of every kind. Many cities, schools, businesses, museums, and hospitals, to name just a few, would be willing to participate in a local initiative or help a similar organization in another country, but for their own set of reasons—including the simplest one, that no one has asked them—they often do not.

2. Our problems are connected, but we are not

There is a good chance that right now, on different floors of an apartment building somewhere in your country, two people are looking out their windows and wishing there were a garden or a playground below instead of a dirty lot. But acting alone can be difficult, and in many neighborhoods there is no way for people to know that they are not alone—that down the street, or two floors above or below them, there are others who would be happy to work with them.

The same goes for schools, workplaces, and other communities. If you are one of ten people who would like to change something in the place, how do you find the other nine? And if in theory you do have a way to find them—by knocking on doors, emailing everyone, putting up a poster—would it be okay to do this? Is there a good context for people to bring up their ideas and reach out to others, or would this seem strange or inappropriate?

On top of all this, many of us are also divided by nationality, religion, politics, and other lines. These divisions can run so deep that it may be hard for us to see the full humanity of the people on the other side, and to explore how much we may have in common across our differences.

Our social and environmental problems, on the other hand, have no respect for man-made borders, and all of them—HIV and poverty, for example, or corruption and natural disasters—are happy to work together and reinforce one another.

3. The world is full of good ideas that don't spread quickly enough

Pick a specific challenge—from building a neighborhood playground in a few hours to setting up a new kind of criminal court to sniffing out old land mines with trained rats—and chances are that someone has already found a way to meet it. Unfortunately, the people and organizations behind these innovations often lack the means to share them more widely. As a result, people and communities who could benefit from any number of programs and ideas may never hear about them, and even when they do, they may not have the knowledge or the resources to adopt them.

Which brings us full circle. Person A has implemented a wonderful project; person B would love to bring it to her community; and person or organization C would be happy to help if someone asked. So how do we make this happen? How do we make it easier for all of us to act on our good intentions? How do we get more ideas to bubble up in cities, villages, schools, and workplaces, and then connect all those people and organizations who want to implement them? And how do we create a context that will make all this possible?

From the Web to a village tree

These questions don't have one quick answer. There is no single product or technology that will address them. Rather, taken together, they resemble the challenge of travel, of getting from point A to point B. Depending on where you are, this challenge doesn't have one solution. It has hundreds of possible solutions. You can walk or drive, ride a horse or a bicycle, or take a train or an airplane.

Similarly, depending on their circumstances, those two people in that apartment building could meet through a bulletin board in the building's lobby, an email list serving their neighborhood, or a one-time survey of people living in the area. Or say you wanted to help connect volunteers and organizations in your community. You could do this online or host a volunteer fair, but you could also ask a local DJ to announce a few volunteer opportunities on the radio.

The same goes for every other aspect of these three big challenges. In each case there are any number of ways to get from point A to point B. And so the question is not how to get there. The real question is this: How do we work together to bring up these challenges all over the world, and then tackle them in every possible way?

We can do this now

For the first time in history we can build a global network that will serve and support all those people who want to make the world a better place. A network, a movement, an ecosystem that will allow people and organizations everywhere to imagine, connect, and act:

• Imagine a better world, a better community, and a better life
• Connect with others, and share skills, ideas, and resources
• Act on our good intentions, and help others to act on theirs

We can do this, and we can do it now. We have the tools and we have the knowledge. All we need now is to agree on a few things—the fewer the better.

Just enough glue and not a drop more

Whenever you want to start a network or a coalition, there is always a fundamental tension. People may want to collaborate, and they may see that together they could achieve much more. At the same time, most people value their independence, and their individual interests will often come first.

So how do we resolve this tension? How do we build a network that will make the most of what each of us has to offer, but will never get in our way?

Think of some effective networks you know: the Web, Alcoholics Anonymous, the global postal and telephone systems, all the people who play or follow your favorite sport...

These networks are ubiquitous, predictable, and useful. The best among them are also decentralized, adaptable, and creative. Most important, to achieve all this, they are held together by a name, some goals, and a few rules—just enough and no more.

A name we can use

Names work; words matter. If you are a teacher from Peru and you meet another teacher from Peru, you only have to say two words—"teacher" and "Peru"—to transmit a lifetime's worth of shared experiences. And if you want to start a group of Peruvian teachers, you have the words to do it.

In our case the people are there, but the words are missing. Wherever you go in the world you will find people who:

• Want to live in a world where all people can lead free and dignified lives;
• Believe that with all the resources we have now we should be able to do much more;
• Would be happy to do their part, in a spirit of generosity and mutual respect.

These people are everywhere. You recognize them when you meet them, but what do you call them? And if you can't name them—if we can't name ourselves—how can we connect?

Let's call these people "Idealists" and see what we can do with that.

A few goals we can agree on

Wanting to make the world a better place is a good start, but what about the details? With so many issues across so many cultures—from improving schools in one country to defusing an ethnic conflict in another—and with so many ways to approach each problem, we'll never be able to agree on a set of specific goals that would appeal to all of us.

What we can do is agree on one overarching goal—to help build a world where all people can lead free and dignified lives—and then focus on the three challenges we outlined above:

• Make it easier for people and organizations to move from intentions to action.
• Connect people, organizations, and resources in every possible way.
• Find good ideas wherever they are, and distribute them as widely as possible.

If we do all this, and do it well, fixing those schools and defusing that conflict will be much easier than it is now.

And a few rules...

What's good for one person may be bad for another, and therefore, like any network, we need a few rules. Since launching Idealist.org in 1995 we have used the following rules and they have worked well with people and organizations all over the world:

• No violent or illegal action.
• No action against any person or group on the basis of race, origin, nationality, religion, language, gender, sexual orientation, or physical or mental ability.
• Every person should have the right to work with others, freely and independently, for a better life and a better community.

Acting and connecting

With a name, some goals, and a few rules, we are almost there. To put this puzzle together we only need two more pieces. The first is to distinguish between two kinds of participation: acting and connecting.

In almost everything you do, you can be an actor or you can be a connector (or both). You can read or you can start a book club; you can play a game or you can organize a tournament; you can travel or you can write about your favorite places.

In our case, if you want to change anything in your community, you can pick an idea or a problem and act on it: volunteer, create, advocate, learn, teach, give, share, vote…

Alternatively, you can be a connector and help other people imagine, connect, and act by offering them opportunities for action, helping them connect with organizations and resources, and pushing and pulling good ideas from and into your community.

Action is critical, but without connectors it doesn't happen.

Alone or with others, online or in person

Lastly, for much of what we do now, many of us are familiar with four options. You can read, play, or travel alone, or you can do it with a group. And you can find what you need online, or you can get some help, in person, by walking into a bookstore, a gym, or a travel agency. Similarly, to be as effective as possible, this network should allow us to:

• Work alone, whether as an actor or as a connector (a teacher helping his students find a way to get involved, or an editor devoting part of her newspaper to matching people with projects that interest them).
• Work with others on a specific project, or help address our three big challenges by starting or joining an Idealist Group—a group of connectors—in your community, school, or workplace, or across any other network or identity (Idealist Teachers, Idealists of Peru...).
• Connect online by taking advantage of every technology we can use, from radio and television to social networks, and from blogs and wikis to videos and mobile phones.
• Connect in person by setting up trusted and open places in villages, towns, and neighborhoods—let's call them Community Points—run by an Idealist Group or by a local organization, where people can go to imagine, connect, and act, and through which organizations of every kind can reach and serve that community.

How do we start?

To create a truly decentralized and adaptable network, all we can do is start. Once a basic structure is set up, an effective network will evolve organically and people will use it in creative and surprising ways. To get to that point, over the next few months we will:

I. Share this plan with you, and refine it with your feedback;

II. Get ready to reach out to a wider audience;

III. Achieve critical mass by inviting as many people as possible to take a very small step;

IV. Put all the pieces together.

Let's look at these four stages in more detail and make sure that every step seems doable to you.

Stage I - Share and refine this plan

Between now and the end of November, we will:

1. Share this proposal with the people and organizations that are on Idealist now, and with anyone else you may want to invite.

2. Connect with everyone who wants to be part of this project from the very start.

3. See what questions, doubts, and ideas come up, and respond to them as best we can.

Stage II - Get ready to reach a wider audience

By the beginning of December, with a plan enriched by the questions and comments of a wide range of people, we'll be ready to spend 90 days working with everyone to:

1. Create a variety of materials—videos, fliers, posters, presentations—for a global campaign to reach out to those two people looking out their windows, and to anyone anywhere who believes that together we could do more.

2. Set up Idealist Groups in neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces—wherever people want to start building this network from the ground up.

3. Link and support these groups with local blogs, mailing lists, and other online tools, all focused on connecting people, ideas, and resources in every possible way.

4. Collect inspiring stories, models, and examples of how people and organizations are currently working together in different countries—from innovative agricultural cooperatives to DJs promoting volunteer opportunities on the radio to any story or idea that came to your mind as you were reading this.

5. Do all this in as many languages as possible.

Stage III - Invite people everywhere to take a small step

1. On Wednesday, March 3, with outreach materials ready to go and local groups ready to use them, imagine the launch of a two-month campaign to invite people everywhere to make the most of what each of us has to offer.

2. As people take a small leap of faith and sign up (online if they have access to the Web, and at a local organization if they don't), imagine many of them sharing comments, photos, and videos with one clear message—"I am a [whatever identity they choose] and I am an Idealist too"—and imagine this happening on every side of every conflict.

3. Imagine people everywhere expressing a simple idea: We (and you) are not alone; we will not be divided; together we can do so much more.

4. Imagine displaying all this on a map of the world, by country and by city, and seeing how much we have in common across our differences.

5. To give ourselves a shared deadline, and to have some fun while doing this, imagine this initial campaign culminating on the weekend of May 7-9 with a coming-out party for the world's Idealists, with community projects, picnics, fairs, parties, or any other way—it could be as simple as a group photo—that people may choose to express themselves wherever they are.

6. As this campaign takes off, imagine more Idealist Groups popping up around the world, with people meeting to:

• Coordinate local outreach to individuals, organizations, businesses, and the media;
• Plan an event or a project for the weekend of May 7-9;
• See what resources already exist in the community to help people take action on any issue;
• Find possible hosts for Community Points at schools, libraries, houses of worship, and other organizations.

7. Imagine having a global context for all this, with no one thinking you are crazy for trying to connect the dots in your community.

8. Lastly, imagine that weekend in early May, with all of us seeing, feeling, and showing that the world is full of people who share similar dreams and challenges, and want to do something about them.

Stage IV - Put all the pieces together

During the days and weeks following May 9th, having seen that we are definitely not alone, and having assembled a wealth of models, tools, and resources for action and collaboration, imagine people everywhere taking the next step and coming together in neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces to imagine, connect, and act, and to help others do this.

Imagine starting with a process of discovery and match-making: What do people want to do? What skills, needs, and ideas do we have? What are our challenges and priorities? What else is happening around us? Who needs our help?

Imagine this process being run in a way that is fun, effective, and quick and leading immediately to action of all kinds (there are many ways to do this, from meetings and conversations to games and surveys, and between now and then we can try various methods and see what works best).

As people connect, act, and share stories about their progress, imagine different communities borrowing ideas from one another ("Hey, look what they are doing, we could do that too..."), and then repeating this cycle—reaching out to new people, connecting, acting, and reporting back—as often as people want.

Lastly, as people and organizations meet and connect, groups and online tools are launched and enriched, resources and materials are developed and shared, and Community Points are set up, imagine the whole network coming to life like a group of starfish extending their arms.

As we do all this, we'll run into a variety of challenges, from how best to share ideas and information to how to deal with differences in literacy, freedom, and access to various technologies. Some of these challenges will be harder than others, and in a few cases we may hit a wall. But the thing about us humans is that once we agree on a big goal we are amazing at figuring out how to get there.

Wherever you are you can make this happen, and together we can change how we think about what's possible in our lives and in our communities. In a world with competing visions, finite resources, and unintended consequences, there will always be limits to what we can do about our social and environmental problems. But these limits aren't fixed. Today, with the tools and the accumulated experience at our fingertips, we can push these limits farther than ever before. How far? Let's find out.

What you can do

Thanks for reading! What do you think? Does this idea make sense to you? Do you want to help build this network? If so, here's some of what you can do during this first stage (between now and the end of November):

1. First and most important: join us and share your thoughts by signing up here. (This is the only way we'll be able to stay in touch with you.)

2. Share this idea with friends and colleagues by inviting them to visit this site, at http://www.idealist.org/more. Use email, blogs, social networks, mailing lists—whatever you use in your daily life. Nothing on the Web is more powerful than your own authentic voice, so go for it!

2. Take a moment to think of everyone you know who might like this idea, and invite them to join you here, at http://www.idealist.org/more. Use email (still best, it seems), blogs, social networks, mailing lists—whatever you use in your daily life. Nothing on the Web is more powerful than your own authentic voice, so just tell people why you are excited about this, and they will probably take a look.

4. Visit the blog for ongoing news and updates (if you'd like to bookmark it, it's at http://www.idealist.org/blog). We are responding to questions, comments, and ideas as they come in, and the blog will be the best way to engage with this campaign as it evolves.

5. See who else has signed up in your country, state/province, or city. If there are only a few of you, it might make sense to connect and coordinate your local outreach.

6. Express your support by making a donation, no matter how small. Your donation serves two critical purposes. By putting your money where your heart is, you are “voting” for this initiative and declaring that it's a project worth supporting. At the same time, you are providing the fuel to keep this engine running. Thank you for both!

7. Please write us with your questions and ideas.

(And please note that the Get Involved page contains a summary of these actions so that you don't have to come back here after signing up.)

Thanks again! We believe that together we can do so much, and we look forward to doing it with you.