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Bernd Fesel

Deputy Director, European Centre for Creative Economy - ECCE

TEDCRED 30+

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How do we win more people to go "ebeling" - to invent help-tools?

Mike Ebeling laid out in this talk how to do it: solve a serious specific problem for one person which has relevance to many - or maybe even the world. The elements are empathy and affection to the person, organizational power in the co-working of specialist, selfless moral in the open-source promotion.

We all agree that we need more persons acting as Mike Ebeling did, who go - so to speak - "ebeling".

But if it is so rewarding, why are there not more? Given the amount of problems there could be flood of "Ebelings"? Where is it? Why is the flood of help not taken place?

What is the obstacle to main-streaming, go "ebeling" and solve so many others personal problems which the institutions of society do not solve?

How do we work around or abolish such obstacles? What role can TED play?

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    Debra Smith 100+

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    Apr 30 2011: HI Bernd!
    Ebling as you have coined it may be just a matter of empowering people to think outside the box. I watched a video on the internet the other day that showed a woman in a wheel chair who may not have been able to afford a motorized wheel chair moving along a street while holding on to a self propelled lawnmower!
    Somebody cared enough or loved her enough to find a practical solution at a doable price. Not elegant perhaps but serviceable!
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    Gerry Mann

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    Apr 26 2011: It seems to me there needs to be a public clearing house where problems are matched with those interested in solving them.

    Many people are willing to help - but the problems have not been framed and communicated to that helping community.

    Thank you for an interesting conversation.
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    Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+

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    Apr 26 2011: I think more people would go "ebeling"(the opposite of bunburying) if they knew how to "hook up"..the intersections just don't happen except randomly and rarely as it did for Ebelingl..look what's happened for example with operation smile.. which gives a focus andtstruture through which surgeons can connect and offer their services. I believe many many more people are willing to go Ebeling..but someone or something has to create the instersection. I think TED has the possibility to create these intersecions or at least spark them to life..( And that is the whole premise of TED isn't it??? to create these intersections)
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    Lee Wilkinson 20+

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    Apr 24 2011: I believe you have touched on a nerve. I think that one of the greatest issues in the world today, at least our world, is the fact that we are simply trying to get through each day without loosing our houses or jobs. That said the next issues is bureaucracy of just getting a project off the ground. Part of what Mike had to do was illegal and the amount of people who lost the plot and started on a rant about the fact that Graffiti was in it's act a moral and illegal thing to do.

    I was so take by Mike Ebling's presentation that I have decided to take action on their behalf to raise funds to support their work. I have to say, if they did this with a bunch of nick knacks from Radio Shack and limited budget I am out of my mind with the thought of what else might be accomplished.

    Why for instance could the TED community not get behind this company financially so they could get on with the important work it has started?
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      Lindsay Newland Bowker 50+

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      Apr 27 2011: Hi Lee..what you did is also part of the TED objective..to inspire people to just go out and join the ffort.. You are the TED community..and perhaps unknown to you others also pitched in.. That is the TED community repsonding isn't it? This is the intersection..we are standing it.
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