Thinking about Death Prompts us To Live our Lives with Greater Meaning

Posted on April 4, 2013 by zoeweil

In this powerful and moving TED talk, Candy Chang shares her New Orleans community’s most fervent wishes. Candy converted an abandoned, graffiti-covered building into a chalkboard wall with these words, “Before I die I want to ____________________.”, repeated over and over. Very soon, her neighbors had shared their deepest desires, and the wall was full of a community’s longings.

This reminds me of one of the keys to living according to the MOGO principle of doing the most good and least harm to ourselves and others. In my book, Most Good, Least Harm, I write about living one’s epitaph. To do so, we must reflect upon what we would want our epitaph to be. Asking ourselves these questions, “Before I die, I want to….” or “What do I want my epitaph to be?” allows us to more fully and deeply lead lives of meaning, purpose and, ultimately, joy.

If we extend Candy’s provocative, community-building, enriching question even further, by asking a slight variation on this question, we can add even great meaning to our lives: What do you want to have done before you die to make this world a better place?

With your one, precious, miraculous life, what matters most?

~ Zoe

Zoe Weil, President, Institute for Humane Education
Author of Most Good, Least Harm; Above All, Be Kind; and The Power and Promise of Humane Education
My TEDxDirigo talk: “The World Becomes What You Teach“
My TEDxYouth@CEHS “How to Be a Solutionary”

Like my blog? Please share it with others, comment, and/or subscribe to our RSS feed.

Filed under: MOGO (Most Good) | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

The Power of the Smallest Choice

Posted on February 21, 2013 by zoeweil

Back in December, I had the privilege of speaking at TEDxYouth@CEHS alongside Steve Wessler, a human rights educator, trainer, and advocate. His talk, “Having Courage When You’re Scared”  moved me so much, and one story he shared was particularly powerful.

He told us about a high school boy who noticed another student standing in the doorway as a crowd of other students passed by, leaving the school on a spring day, oblivious to this girl even though they had to walk right by her. She looked miserable, like she had the entire weight of the world on her shoulders. As he walked by her, he simply said, “I hope you have a good afternoon.” She didn’t respond as one would expect, her eyes opening wide, and so he looked her in the eyes and said again, “I really hope you have a good afternoon. And I really hope you’re going to do okay.” The next day, on his answering machine was a message from this girl thanking him. She had been planning to go home that day and commit suicide. His simple act of connection and kindness was enough to stop her.

I heard Steve’s talk the same day that I heard about the heartbreaking suicide of Jacintha Saldanha, a nurse, wife, and mother, who was on the receiving end of a prank perpetrated by two Australian deejays. The deejays impersonated the Queen of England and Prince Charles in a phone call to the hospital where Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, was recovering from severe morning sickness. Jacintha was the nurse who answered the phone and, falling for the hoax, patched the call in to the nurse caring for the Kate Middleton. Jacintha killed herself shortly after.

One young woman saved; another woman dead. One the recipient of kindness; the other a recipient of an unkind, thoughtless joke.

How little it can sometimes take to have such a huge impact on another person. How powerful our smallest choices can be.

Please be kind.

~ Zoe

Zoe Weil, President, Institute for Humane Education
Author of Most Good, Least Harm, Above All, Be Kind, and The Power and Promise of Humane Education
My TEDxConejo talk: “Solutionaries”
My TEDxDirigo talk: “The World Becomes What You Teach“

Like my blog? Please share it with others, comment, and/or subscribe to our RSS feed.

Filed under: MOGO (Most Good) | Tagged: , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

The Power of One: Israel and Iran – A Love Story?

Posted on February 11, 2013 by zoeweil

In previous posts I’ve written about the capacity we now have to collaborate and innovate with people across borders to solve problems. Take a look at the above TEDx talk, “Israel and Iran: A Love Story?” I love how one Israeli man’s ideas have captured the imagination of so many.

Will this graphic designer’s idea lead to peace in the Middle East? I don’t know, but it’s possible. And from this, what may come?

~ Zoe

Zoe Weil, President, Institute for Humane Education
Author of Most Good, Least Harm, Above All, Be Kind, and The Power and Promise of Humane Education
My TEDxConejo talk: “Solutionaries”
My TEDxDirigo talk: “The World Becomes What You Teach“
My TEDxYouth@BFS “Educating for Freedom”

Like my blog? Please share it with others, comment, and/or subscribe to our RSS feed.

Filed under: MOGO (Most Good) | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

John Kasona: How Poachers Become Caretakers

Posted on January 31, 2013 by zoeweil

In a world in which we are endlessly encouraged to think in either/or terms; us versus them; the good guys versus the evildoers; Republican versus Democrat; environment versus jobs; it is refreshing to contemplate transformation, change, and solutionary thinking, as John Kasona does in his TEDx talk.

So take a look at how poachers became caretakers, and then remember that we have the power to transform unjust, cruel, and destructive systems.

All we have to do is teach our children that this is their job — and a job for all of us: to develop innovative solutions to our challenges and create a humane world.

~ Zoe

Zoe Weil, President, Institute for Humane Education
Author of Most Good, Least Harm, Above All, Be Kind, and The Power and Promise of Humane Education
My TEDxConejo talk: “Solutionaries”
My TEDxDirigo talk: “The World Becomes What You Teach“
My TEDxYouth@BFS “Educating for Freedom”

Like my blog? Please share it with others, comment, and/or subscribe to our RSS feed.

Filed under: animal protection, MOGO (Most Good) | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Sam Chaltain’s Art (and Science) of Great Teaching

Posted on December 6, 2012 by zoeweil

For my blog post today, I wanted to share educational changemaker Sam Chaltain’s great new TEDx talk, “The Art (and Science) of Great Teaching.” Enjoy and share!

~ Zoe

Zoe Weil, President, Institute for Humane Education
Author of Most Good, Least Harm, Above All, Be Kind, and The Power and Promise of Humane Education
My TEDxConejo talk: “Solutionaries”
My TEDxDirigo talk: “The World Becomes What You Teach“
My TEDxYouth@BFS “Educating for Freedom”

Like my blog? Please share it with others, comment, and/or subscribe to our RSS feed.

Filed under: education | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off

If This is a NERD, Let There Be More of Them

Posted on November 15, 2012 by zoeweil

I had the pleasure of meeting Nikhil Goyal at the TEDxYouth@BFS conference in September. Nikhil is in high school. He’s also the author of the new book, One Size Does Not Fit All: A Student’s Assessment of School, and a frequent TEDx speaker. His talk at TEDxYouth@BFS, “Why Kids Hate School,” was powerful and compelling, and I highly recommend it:

Recently, The Washington Post’s The Fix tweeted: “This high school kid just wrote a book on education? NERD.” Having met Nikhil, here’s my new definition of NERD: Normal yet Exceptional and Reasonable Dynamo. May the NERD revolution begin!

~ Zoe

Zoe Weil, President, Institute for Humane Education
Author of Most Good, Least Harm, Above All, Be Kind, and The Power and Promise of Humane Education
My TEDxConejo talk: “Solutionaries”
My TEDxDirigo talk: “The World Becomes What You Teach“
My TEDxYouth@BFS “Educating for Freedom”

Like my blog? Please share it with others, comment, and/or subscribe to our RSS feed.

Filed under: education | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Giftivism: A Path Toward Generosity and Generativity

Posted on August 30, 2012 by zoeweil

For my blog post today, I simply want to share this wonderful TEDx talk, Designing for Generosity. If, after you’ve watched it, you find yourself giving in a new or different way, please let me know what happens.

~ Zoe

Zoe Weil, President, Institute for Humane Education
Author of Most Good, Least Harm, Above All, Be Kind, and The Power and Promise of Humane Education
My TEDxConejo talk: “Solutionaries”
My TEDxDirigo talk: “The World Becomes What You Teach“

Get tickets to the October 13 NYC performance of my 1-woman show: “My Ongoing Problems with Kindness: Confessions of MOGO Girl.”

Like my blog? Please share it with others, comment, and/or subscribe to the RSS feed.

Filed under: MOGO (Most Good) | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Solutionaries: Zoe Weil’s New TEDx Talk

Posted on July 2, 2012 by zoeweil

For my blog post today I’m excited to share my new TEDx talk: Solutionaries. I hope you enjoy it! If you do, please share it widely and spread the word. Many thanks!


Zoe

Zoe Weil, President, Institute for Humane Education
Author of Most Good, Least Harm, Above All, Be Kind, and The Power and Promise of Humane Education
My TEDxConejo talk: “Solutionaries”
My TEDxDirigo talk: “The World Becomes What You Teach“

Filed under: humane education, MOGO (Most Good) | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

In Praise of Wonder, Uncertainty, and Possibility

Posted on April 20, 2012 by zoeweil

Neuroscientist David Eagleman gives a powerful and provocative TEDx talk about the importance of relinquishing dogma in favor of celebrating possibility. Watch it here:


By inviting us to ponder all that we don’t know, Dr. Eagleman reminds us that the best possible response to the mysteries that surround us is a combination of awe, wonder, curiosity, and a thoughtful search for understanding, rather than the dogmatism that pervades so much of society.

What I love most about this talk is its implicit message for education. If we cultivate the innate curiosity of our children and foster their creative and critical thinking capacities, while nurturing their wonder and reverence, we will be laying the groundwork for their open and eager search for new and better ideas that will lead us toward greater understanding, connection, collaboration, and truth-seeking.

For a humane world,

Zoe Weil, President, Institute for Humane Education
Author of Most Good, Least Harm, Above All, Be Kind, and The Power and Promise of Humane Education
My TEDx talk: “The World Becomes What You Teach“

Like my blog? Please share it with others, comment, and/or subscribe to the RSS feed. 

Filed under: critical thinking, humane education, videos | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Is Gaming the Answer to Our Global Problems?

Posted on February 6, 2012 by zoeweil

Watch this TED talk about gaming as a solution to our problems:

As a non-gamer, this TED talk raised many questions for me:

  • Will gamers like real-world solutionary games as much as Warcraft?
  • Is the speaker’s vision and call for more gaming likely to achieve the results she suggests?
  • Does gaming 22 hours/week on top of school or work leave time for real-life solutionary efforts?
  • Does the optimism of gamers spill over into engaged changemaking work?

If there are gamers out there who read my blog, I’m eager to know. Please share your thoughts.

For a humane world,

Zoe Weil, President, Institute for Humane Education
Author of Most Good, Least Harm, Above All, Be Kind, and The Power and Promise of Humane Education
My TEDx talk: “The World Becomes What You Teach“

Like my blog? Please share it with others, comment, and/or subscribe to the RSS feed. 

Filed under: systemic change, technology, Uncategorized, videos | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Next Page »
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 445 other followers