The Power of Gift Culture
"I read a book called The Gift by Lewis Hyde. I think it struck me on several levels. The book has many layers; it's about creativity and art...having gifts that come to us from somewhere outside our own willpower, something we can't completely control; how creative work wants to be shared as a gift; how this "circulation of gifts" co-exists uncomfortably in a market economy, in transaction cultur... posted on Nov 01 2015, 12,653 reads

Two Little Pieces of Chocolate
Francine Christophe was born in 1933, the same year that Adolph Hitler took power in Germany. When she was eight years old, she and her mother were deported to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. In this interview for "Human," a film project directed by photographer, Yann Arthus-Bertrand, she recounts an extraordinary tale of generosity at a time of great privation. ... posted on Oct 31 2015, 6,353 reads

Peter Kalmus: The Question of Progress
"In every house, there were blue flickering lights going in synchrony because everyone was watching the same TV show. It was a quiet night and I was alone, just walking with the sound of the freeway and the blue flickering lights. And what had seemed normal to me my whole life suddenly seemed strange." Here's a moving interview with a young climate scientist at Caltech.... posted on Oct 30 2015, 0 reads

Jane Kenyon's Advice on Writing & Life
"Tell the whole truth. Don't be lazy, don't be afraid," counsels Jane Kenyon, offering advice to fellow poets with a wisdom that applies to every field of creative endeavor and can electrify any artist. ... posted on Oct 29 2015, 7,728 reads

Can We Create Social Change Without Money
Can we create social change without money? Just holding that question can raise some very interesting insights. In theory, our society is supposed to balance our three big sectors. The private sector, the voluntary sector and the public sector. Each has its purpose and, in theory, it works. But in practice, money has become such a driving force that we have started to put a price tag on everything... posted on Oct 28 2015, 32,734 reads

Kid Warrior for the Earth
Xiuhtezcatl Martinez is 14 years old, and committed to changing the world. This self-described "indigenous, environmental, eco hip hop artist and activist" is also the youth director of Earth Guardians, a nonprofit that empowers young people around the world to become involved in environmental activism. "The biggest challenge we face is shifting human consciousness, not saving the planet." Martine... posted on Oct 27 2015, 2,792 reads

Boston's High School & Senior Center in One
They didn't plan on creating a shared space, but when architect Philip Poinelli met with the city leaders he realized they realized that the needs of the town's elderly overlapped quite neatly with those of its teenagers. But the synergy didn't stop short of a shared physical space -- each week, students and seniors work together to leverage and extend personal experience."There was so much overla... posted on Oct 26 2015, 5,402 reads

The Secrets to a Happy Life
What is the secret to a happy life? Ask anyone you know, and each will provide a different and widely varying response. In 1938, 268 men volunteered for a intriguing study conducted by Harvard University -- one in which their personal happiness might be measured throughout the years. Though no single study could ever predict the outcome of a man's life, there were some interesting revelations. Two... posted on Oct 25 2015, 29,830 reads

How Science Helps Us Find the Good
Since the beginning of time, the battle between good and evil has always been at the forefront of human existence. But only until recently has science started to help better understand the complexities of it all. And just as good and bad are linked, science also reveals how our inner world and the external one are tied together. The overall takeaway? If you want to find and foster the good in soci... posted on Oct 24 2015, 14,970 reads

A Recipe for Change
Studies in neuroplasticity indicate how new impressions stimulate and even feed our neurons. It's time to celebrate the fact that what we think changes the physical structure of our brain. When we change our minds, we change our brain. This piece shares more.... posted on Oct 23 2015, 22,745 reads