The Second Renaissance: How to Improve Our Thinking

The case for a second renaissance targeted towards better thought leadership around improving the communities we belong to and serve.

With this blog, I aim to develop my knowledge and understanding alongside you. I am by no means an expert, nor am I a polished writer, but I have set myself a challenge of learning in public so that I can find people who can help me along the way.

I have not yet worked out a central cornerstone focus for this blog but hope to do so as the weeks go on. A weakness of mine is my inability to focus and specialise. That’s not a bad thing, nor is it good. It simply is an observation of the way that I am.

The purpose of writing this blog is to create a manifesto of my principles over time that I stand for. I see myself writing this blog as a way of ingraining those principles in stone so that I can finally say — this is what I stand for, this is a chance for me to focus in. You should expect my ideas to change and adapt as I go on this journey of discovery. I’m not afraid to shift my thinking, that’s the beauty of learning. Whilst I am sharing these ideas, I have not perfected them myself or practice them well. I am on a journey that is trying to make me less individualistic, more caring and approachable to those around me. I am trying to become more empathetic to other people’s causes, to see them as my own and to connect with the world around me.

Especially in the western world, I am witnessing a detachment from the communities and collective spirit that helped us achieve the great progress and success that we enjoy today. This isn’t a political statement, I don’t consider myself to be too strongly attached to today’s left wing ideology nor the right. This is but an observation not backed by evidence but one that I think many people will agree with.

I want to try and change that and I am willing to be patient as I learn about what can be done to help all of us, including myself, become less individualistic, materialistic and self centred.

The vehicle that can accelerate this change is the “not for profit” sector, a group of people dedicated to one singular goal that aids the progression, health, happiness and ambition of humanity.

But that vehicle is overwhelming under appreciated and neglected.

I am of the belief that whilst we enjoy great technological breakthroughs; our advances in community building, charitable giving and altruistic thought leadership remains somewhat stagnant.

https://twitter.com/alaindebotton/status/567455449134661633?s=20

Technology alone cannot save us if it is not applied in the best and most appropriate ways. Big multinationals and capital markets cannot save us alone. All these things have a huge role to play but there is a missing jigsaw piece to this whole equation of human progression and it is always overlooked.

If we continue down this path I fear that we might revisit the Middle Ages of 1st Millennium where pandemics dominated, conflict was rife and everyone had tunnel vision thinking. Today we are recovering from a once in a lifetime pandemic and whether we choose to accept it or not we have outsourced much of our brain power to a handful of technology companies who are indiscriminate of borders. Many people glide through life on autopilot sitting on Zoom during the day and watching Netflix by night.

I believe that the heroes of this century need to be the neglected community leaders, teachers, volunteers, donors and tens of thousands of men and women who’s main goal is to benefit the community they serve or charitable cause that they are passionate about. These people can help us open our eyes to the joys of paying it forward and doing deeds for others. However, these unsung heroes receive a slither of the attention, funding and reputational prowess seen by multi-billion dollar unicorns or global corporations.

This isn’t to say that these companies don’t deserve the funding, reputation and attention that they currently have nor should this be taken away. I want to discover why it is that being a start up CEO carries more weight and reputational standing than being the CEO of a global charity and I want to know how we can fix that. My aim is to transform how we look at “not for profit” organisations and to help them achieve the same stature as there “for profit” counterparts.

Until I really figure out the answers to these questions and formulate some form of manifesto; I have no desire to grab the attention of the masses. Whilst most blogs/newsletters ask you to share their posts far and wide. I am asking you to not. Not yet at least. Please only share this with people who are open minded to evolving views. Why? Because I will only get one shot at pleading this case and applying the right framing to this problem is crucial. We have one chance at changing peoples perception that non profits organisations should be seen in exactly the same light as for profit companies.

My only request is that you help me by providing feedback, comments and suggestions. I am looking for the right people to help guide me on this journey.

I’m looking forward to this. It is going to be one hell of a ride!