“Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?

Martin Luther King Jr.

Throughout the Th!nk process, I have been struck with how abstract the solutions to development problems have been. Equally, I notice that the blame is often placed on somebody other than us, be it governments, corporations, international organizations or developing nations.

To me, this highlights the 2 central problems in our discourse on development.

1) That the problem is ‘out there’ somewhere, that it doesn’t really involve us. Development has everything to do with us. It’s the coffee you drink, the clothes you wear, the holidays you take.  It’s about people like you and me inadvertently stamping on the rights of the poor.

2) That the solution lies in more aid, fairer trade, a reformed political system or great corporate social responsibility. These are all parts of the solution but not the central goal. What we are lacking is not money, resources, knowledge, planning, structures or empathy. We are lacking the political will. In a democracy, the citizens (and to a certain extent the media) set the terms of the elections. We decide what matters. If their constituents cared about development, then politicians would have to too.

Skepticism:

I am not expecting these small steps to make any measurable difference to the world, but I would argue that they COULD. One person choosing Fair Trade makes no measurably impact, but if we all did it, there would be a complete re-organization of trade systems.

If we all used our power as consumers and citizens, our daily choices can make a difference in the world. I am struck by both the empathy of people but also their powerlessness.

In this series, I want to inform people of the things that they can do to make a positive difference in the world. By informing people, I’m hoping to inspire them too.

I will  focus on practical, actionable steps rather than lofty, idealistic ideas. You might not want to follow all of my suggestions, but if you take 50% of them on board that will make a difference to someone somewhere.

So, to summarize:

Who? Me, and hopefully you too.

What?  A new series of blog posts entitled: “What are you doing for others?”

When? Starting today, with regular posts until I run out of ideas/suggestions.

Why? Because I believe that powerlessness and apathy are the greatest challenges that our world faces. Unfulfilled good intentions are the world’s most wasted resource and I want to make it a little easier for you to convert your caring into action.

Where? Here on Th!nk.  I’ll also be cross posting to my personal website: www.clareherbert.ie.

How? Most of the suggestions come from books/websites/articles I’ve read or campaigns I’ve heard of. Feel free to make suggestions, although I can’t guarantee publication. You can get me through the comments below or by email.