Ideas Worth Sharing are Not Enough

AUTHOR : Keita Demming

Australian Aboriginal Elder Lilla Watson is quoted as saying:

“If you’ve come here to help me, you’re wasting your time. But if you’ve come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”

Margaret Mead is also quoted as saying:

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Although cliche, Mead was right. The power of a small group of people committed to a cause is perhaps the best social change tool that will ever exist.

The first quote however, is a lot less tangible. The key phrase being, “because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.” When we started TEDxPortofSpain it was from this perspective that we were operating. Although we did not know it at the time, it is a principle that has guided a small group of committed citizens to try to build a community around ideas worth sharing.

In doing so, we have come to realize that ideas are not enough. We need to transition from “ideas worth sharing” to “ideas worth doing”. Until now, most of our resources have been dedicated to hosting a high quality event with ideas worth sharing. We have not had, and still do not have, the resources to venture into the most difficult aspect of any project, which is doing or implementing.

We must start from where we are, with what we have – people, ideas and resources.

For years we have played with the idea TEDxPortofSpain upside down, or TEDx open source, but the fear of losing control has held us back. This year we have dared to choose the theme, “Doing, Undoing, Redoing.” In doing so, we ask the obvious questions:

1. How do we stay true to the theme while pushing our own boundaries and limits?

2. How do we make the best use of a community that wants to contribute to ‘ideas worth doing‘?

This year we made a call to volunteers and the response has been overwhelming. We have also formally established our NonProfit, 868Change as the organisation that will implement our “ideas worth doing” efforts. The blue sky goal is that this NGO can operate as the administrative house for several projects that fall under the umbrella “ideas worth doing”.

Our learning has been that projects need a formal body in order to operate in a transparent and efficient manner. Sponsors and donors need to be able to write cheques to an organisation they can trust. We all do not need an NGO for every project we wish to support, and that is the goal of setting up 868Change.

Where we go from here is still unknown, but we hope you join us in this journey as we move from ideas to action. This year we hope to explore the full spectrum of doing, even if it means failing at our own implementation efforts. We believe in this move towards action and welcome you to join us in the efforts, because your liberation is bound up with ours.

We must work together if we are to aspire and achieve a better future.