Jun 2 2011: Bhutan is making strides using a "Gross Domestic Happiness" scale - http://www.grossnationalhappiness.com/gnhIndex/resultGNHIndex.aspx instead of Gross Domestic Product.
So they ask things like "can you trust your neighbors?" and "how safe do you feel walking in your neighborhood after dark?" in addition to the "how much money do you make?"
I guess first we need to define success well. Currently in the USA, we seem to define it clearly in just dollars. I'm old enough to have children in high school, and I remember a time when people who made less, but contributed more (teachers, fire fighters, etc.) were held in higher esteem than they seem to be now.
Will local currencies like Ithaca Hours http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ithaca_Hours help?
Do we have good ways to get people to act locally?
Maybe re=working the Bhutan questionnaire for your country / area is a first place to start. Start running the poll in your town/neighborhood.
Mar 10 2011: This is a great question. I don't have a great answer.
You could go to some local schools, and say you are computer-savvy, and would like to help with technology, and show some teachers some TED talks.
Another discussion here was a high-schooler who was trying to start a "TED club" at his high school. You could certainly help with a club.
The first couple of schools/teachers may be hesitant to use technology. Keep trying. You don't need to change everyone. Just get a couple of key people to move a little bit more in the right direction, and things will move.
Mar 4 2011: Great idea. I agree with Adam Burk, don't just watch, do something. Identify the best actionable ones and do something about it.
And so maybe YOUR talk would not be a film from a stage, but a video of your club taking action (planing the community garden, meeting with politicians, whatever).
And if you keep your eyes open for ways to build connections to other schools, that would make it even more powerful (do you have foreign exchange students - might they take the idea home with them?)
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A comment on Conversation: Wealth and power have been our conventional measures of success. What definition will better sustain us now and how can we move into it?
So they ask things like "can you trust your neighbors?" and "how safe do you feel walking in your neighborhood after dark?" in addition to the "how much money do you make?"
I guess first we need to define success well. Currently in the USA, we seem to define it clearly in just dollars. I'm old enough to have children in high school, and I remember a time when people who made less, but contributed more (teachers, fire fighters, etc.) were held in higher esteem than they seem to be now.
Will local currencies like Ithaca Hours http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ithaca_Hours help?
Do we have good ways to get people to act locally?
Maybe re=working the Bhutan questionnaire for your country / area is a first place to start. Start running the poll in your town/neighborhood.
A comment on Conversation: How can a normal citizen contribute to our public education system?
You could go to some local schools, and say you are computer-savvy, and would like to help with technology, and show some teachers some TED talks.
Another discussion here was a high-schooler who was trying to start a "TED club" at his high school. You could certainly help with a club.
The first couple of schools/teachers may be hesitant to use technology. Keep trying. You don't need to change everyone. Just get a couple of key people to move a little bit more in the right direction, and things will move.
A comment on Conversation: What about TED-based clubs in schools? TED-based classes?
And so maybe YOUR talk would not be a film from a stage, but a video of your club taking action (planing the community garden, meeting with politicians, whatever).
And if you keep your eyes open for ways to build connections to other schools, that would make it even more powerful (do you have foreign exchange students - might they take the idea home with them?)