Some samples of humanity at our hopeful best…

George Lakey – How We Win

Our age of polarization and institutional failures presents us with a great opportunity for positive change if we strategize intelligently and take action.

Greta Thunberg has given up on politicians

All political and economic systems have failed, but humanity has not yet failed. 

Playing for Change – Stand by Me – Sung Around the World

A moving portrait of humanity, from the award-winning documentary, Playing For Change: Peace Through Music comes “Stand By Me,” the first of many Songs Around The World produced by Playing For Change. This Ben E. King classic features musicians around the world recorded by the Playing For Change team during their travels. This song continues to remind us that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. Watch on YouTube

All that We Share

A beautiful Danish short video on the ways we create identity groups and separate from each other by those labels, and how we can see past those arbitrary boundaries. 

Not Too Late

Listen to this interview with Rebecca Solnit on her collection of essays on hope entitled Not Too Late, about finding hope in times of catastrophe. Full article on Tricycle here.

Simon Senek – Understanding Empathy

How do we foster trust and cooperation in organizations? What does skillful leadership look like? Senek suggests it’s not about being in charge, it’s about taking care of the people in the leader’s charge. When people feel valued, they function at their best.

He Saved 669 Jewish Children

Nicholas Winton, a German man saved 669 Jewish children during the holocaust. Here he gets to meet many of them 50 years later. A beautiful portrait of the courage and generosity of ordinary people and the far-reaching impact of such noble action.

Charles Eisenstein – Effecting change without the use of force

Conventional thought: The problem with the world is “them,” some bad guys who need to be eliminated. This is the logical response of fear and anger, of folks who feel unsafe and threatened. Positive change can happen most effectively through telling a new story and considering a new, more life-giving identity.

WW1 Christmas Truce – Soldiers Initiate a Day of Peace  

A true and dramatic day in history when the goodness and courage of our humanity shone through the insanity of a war that began as a family dispute and resulted in 9 to 15 million deaths.

We are Built to be Kind  

Darwin said sympathy is the strongest instinct of humans. Communities with a sense of cooperation are the ones who thrive. We are wired for empathy.