can we change the world?

[toasterwater]

Ive been studying alot lately, Im particularly interested in my history class (history of the United States since the civil war). The class often focuses on people throughout our history who have made major impacts on the world. I never can purge the idea from my consciousness that we (the highly intellectual, conscious, and enlightened people who frequent this site) can make a major difference in the world. There have to be enough experts in different walks of life for us to organize something great.

Steve Pavlina has told us of his financial problem- he doesnt know what to do with all of the money he generates (this was the case a while back anyway). And surely others have similar problems. Knowing this, there shouldnt be any problem in us generating anything we need- anything from capitol, to participants, to knowledge and skill and compassion- in order to change the world for the better.

Just think about all of the problems that humanity currently faces, that result from ignorance, fear, greed, and other products of lower level thinking. Why can't we fix these problems? If individuals have been able to make such lasting impressions on the world, just imagine how much we can do with such a large community of like minded people.

Im not sure of all of the details yet, but i can definitely see us doing something great. Please post any comments and feedback you have on this idea.

[songwriter]

Everyone of us already changes the world. Every thing you do changes the world...

[WanderingOak]

My answer would be 'Yes, we can, if we had the right plan'. What do you have in mind?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by WanderingOak

My answer would be 'Yes, we can, if we had the right plan'. What do you have in mind?

That's the question that I had... What is the plan?

We can all do some absolutely amazing things, but if we aren't doing them together, then we're wasting time and energy by duplicating and undermining our efforts. Every group has its leaders, but I think that it would be pretty difficult to lead a group as diverse and intelligent like this... It would be like herding cats.

So, we want to make the world a better place... That's a good, general group purpose, but what about the world are we going to work on to make it better?

[ABlix]

Originally Posted by Adam

That's the question that I had... What is the plan?

We can all do some absolutely amazing things, but if we aren't doing them together, then we're wasting time and energy by duplicating and undermining our efforts. Every group has its leaders, but I think that it would be pretty difficult to lead a group as diverse and intelligent like this... It would be like herding cats.

So, we want to make the world a better place... That's a good, general group purpose, but what about the world are we going to work on to make it better?

We should collaborate our money in order to help society fix itself. We should simply take responsibility for the hate in the world, because it's all an animal within ourselves. If collaboration of money scares you, then [cut] would probably suggest a little more soul seeking. It's important to keep in mind we are not competing with anyone, and we are simply looking for a global solution . We can produce a lot more if we simply recognize the direction we are heading in and turn it around, by not being dependent on oil. I believe that the world's energy problem is at the heart of the problem, and would love any help on how to escape from a cage built by the TV / Radio my parents love so much.

[Adam]

Oil... Non-renewable resources... Within a few generations, we'll be facing this problem anyways, so why not start here and now before we have some real problems? Along the same lines of reducing our dependency on non-renewable resources, why not reduce our dependency on human labor? That would probably go *much* further towards relieving greif if we don't have to work to survive... Like Steve and Erin are always talking about with Star Trek, the more time that people can spend on pursuits other than just surviving, the more noble they become. If a person doesn't have to steal to have their needs met, then there would be no thieves.

While I personally do not have a problem with putting my money into a fund, several otherwise willing and capable people will have a problem. My wife is one such person. It would be best to set up a non-profit organization that has publicly available books (sort of like people can generally trust open source software because they can look at the code). If we start doing anything that needs to be hidden, that's a very good sign that we're doing something wrong.

[LauraC]

Working on a bigger problem (together) also puts our own small problems into perspective too - thats definitely a good thing

[David Hausladen]

Originally Posted by WanderingOak

My answer would be 'Yes, we can, if we had the right plan'. What do you have in mind?

I wonder if perhaps the best way to change the world would be through collective intention--deciding what we agree should be in the best future for humanity, and then using the Law of Attraction on a large scale to manifest that vision. (I started a thread to that effect soon after the forums' launch, but it seems to have fizzled.)

[ReallyGoodIdeas]

This is a great idea! Teaching intention is like showing someone how to fish, if you follow that saying. The best place to start is at home. I've learnt from the Power vs force book and practical experience, that it's up to us to improve ourselves, and that in turn will help everyone around us. Ripples in ponds analogy.

I'd love to be involved in a worldwide intention group. That would be terrific.

Joy!
Hazel

[Wanderer]

I think its possible, but as has already been said we need to understand why we want to change the world, and also what about the world we want to change

Its kind of like an uber goal, they need to be

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Time Focused

(I think thats right)

Also if we could avoid saying everyone put money into this pot so we can make the world happier that would probably be a good thing, maybe a more project focused approach.

The developing world or the enviroment seems like a good place to start

[toasterwater]

Okay guys,

I'm happy to see how many of you responded so positively to this thread. I'm sure that many others will as well, so we obviously have our man-power, so to speak, the next step is obviously a plan (like youve all been asking about).

As some of you hinted to, organization will be key. I think a good starting point will be to assemble a team. Im still not clear on all details yet, but im excited about the visions I'm having.

Another key point brought up was cause. What will our goal be, specifically. Thats the great thing about it, who says we have to have only one specific goal? Why not brainstorm many ideas, and put them into action as resources become available. For instance, the renewable energy source idea is a good one. I'm sure that someone in our circle has a background in engineering, there are already many great ideas out (i.e. Hydrogen fuel cells coupled with alcohol reformers to power cars) but as far as i know, they are not being used because of the reluctancy to leave our beloved fossil fuels. If we could come up with an idea to start a company that manufactures, and sells hydrogen fuel cell cars, all we would have to do is pool enough capitol (along with the many other resources necessary to start such a business), and when our resources become available, we can take action.

That is of course just one idea. We can work on an unlimited amount of projects from utilizing renewable energy sources, to world peace, to saving the whales (or cows, pigs, chickens, etc ).

I see a few steps before we actually take action though. First we have to organize a team of leaders. This organization will consist of hundreds, possibly even thousands (or who knows, maybe millions) of people, and i think a certain level of democracy will need to be in place. I see a group of maybe up to 10 or 15 individuals as a starting point, but a mass of many more members who may not have to participate as actively (alot of us have busy schedules).

If we do start this, we will need to advertise. Many of us have blogs of some sort, and many of those are personal development related. Steves blog alone has over a million page views/ month does it not? If we all start advertising for this, we could easily bring enough people to our cause.

This organization doesn't have to focus 100% on action though. With this many like minded people, the powers of personal development within should be unlimited. I can see people who are early in their stages of personal development recieving help from others who may be further along. We are our own most valuable resource. By helping develop eachother into PD powerhouses (forgive the terminology ) we will only strengthen our community. Imagine how much we will be able to accomplish if we can get 10, 20, 50, or 100 people (or even more) to the level of financial freedom that steve pavlina is currently enjoying.

Like I've been saying, I have alot of exciting ideas, but they are not all perfectly clear yet. Let me know what you think of this.

Oh, one more thing, I shouldn't be advertising for my site yet, but a buddy and I have started a personal development site. With 3 posts and a bio section, it is far from being advertisable, or even fully funtional, but i did write an article that goes along with this idea very well. If you have time, visit this article (don't worry, its short and sweet), and let me know what you think.

[songwriter]

The idea of a "plan" is on the lyrics of two songs below... Well a plan could be everyone following his purpose of life... I think my greatest contribution would be being a musician.
Besides that, there is co-intending. You know Dec 22th is the Global Orgasm Day when people all over the world is gonna intend world peace... so someone else has prepared a kind of similar thing...


Hope of Deliverance-Paul McCartney

"And I Wouldn't Mind Knowing, Knowing
That You Wouldn't Mind Going, Going Along With My Plan.

When It Will Be Right, I Don't Know.
What It Will Be Like, I Don't Know.
We Live In Hope Of Deliverance From The Darkness That Surrounds Us.

Hope Of Deliverance, Hope Of Deliverance.
Hope Of Deliverance From The Darkness That Surrounds Us."

Are you Gonna go my way?-Lenny Kravitz
"I was born long ago
I am the chosen I'm the one
I have come to save the day
And I won't leave until I'm done
So that's why you've got to try
You got to breath and have some fun
Though I'm not paid I play this game
And I won't stop until I'm done

But what I really want to know is
Are you gonna go my way?
And I got to got to know

I don' tknow why we always cry
This we must leave and get undone
We must engage and rearrange
And turn this planet back to one
So tell me why we got to die
And kill each other one by one
we've got to love and rub-a-dub
We've got to dance and be in love

But what I really want to know is
Are you gonna go my way?
And I got to got to know

Are you gonna go my way?
'Cause baby I got to know
Yeah"

[Gerto]

wow, yeah, this is a great idea! I'm in

[Milo Riano]

Why not? Everyone can even without realizing it.

[Milo Riano]

Originally Posted by toasterwater

Steve Pavlina has told us of his financial problem- he doesnt know what to do with all of the money he generates (this was the case a while back anyway).

Warren Buffet did not have a problem giving away his 44 Billion Dollar fortune to Charity. I am sure Steve Pavlina doesn't have that big of a problem.

[dorothy hanna]

I see people joining together, in a like-minded caring, sharing, giving, loving manner. Reaching out, and lifting up each other, and encouraging each other.

I see people joining together, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and the lame. I see people putting their funds toogether to aid those found in need.

[toasterwater]

Okay, due to all of the enthusiasm by those of you who desire to change the world, we (the creaters of personaldevelopmentlabs.com) have begun transforming our existing PD blog site into a platform from which we can begin work on this "change the world" campaign. Forgive us if the site is a bit confused/disorganized for a short while while this conversion takes place.

We have many ideas that we are beginning to implement, and i will keep you all updated, but feel free to contact me via email/ instant messenger/ this thread if you have any questions, comments, suggestions, concerns, etc.

I see great things happening, but it cannot happen without your help, so i urge you all to participate in any way you seem fit.

***Heres to the improvement of the human race!

[Rekoza]

the idea of esperantolernu!: Main Page
is about getting same minded person to change the world. zamenhoff invented a language to unite all the pepole and by now there are more then 1 million pepole following his idea to change the world.

so if he did it, i think thar we can do it faster. we just need a goal.

[Frans]

The world is perfect, so why change it?



What has always made a hell on earth has been that man has tried to make it his heaven.
Friedrich Hölderlin

[Raynt]

I have a small idea that might be kind of neat. Why not have a contest each month for who has done the most volunteering or something of the like and the winners get an award that appears on their posts until the next contest?

[Jim Westergren]

I like this thread.

Originally Posted by Raynt

I have a small idea that might be kind of neat. Why not have a contest each month for who has done the most volunteering or something of the like and the winners get an award that appears on their posts until the next contest?

Great idea.

[elimisteve]

How about we combine IM, LoA, and good old-fashioned brainstorming and work toward some very specific end?

Some questions worth thinking about:

1. In all the world, what are we most dissatisfied with? (Genocide in Darfur, political corruption (and beyond), something else?)

2. What message do we want to send? Exactly what meme are we trying to propagate?

3. What specific skills do we have that we can use to carry out our mission?


To answer these questions, let us think:

What kind of revolution do you want to begin?

If you could positively affect the world in one way, what would it be? What's something you wish you could do for the world that, until now, you never had enough help to be able to accomplish? What can you willfully contribute to The Project?

If we are truly inspired by these ideas, let us show it with actions, and not merely emotions.

[Frans]

You're visiting this forum because you are interested in personal development and the work of Steve Pavlina.
One of the most important issues on this site is about the Law of Attraction and Intention-Manifestation.
You cannot find an explanation for these phenomenons if you deny subjective reality.
The conclusion is: your thoughts change the world (your world).
Want to change the world? Change your thoughts.

Why do you want to make things more complicated than they are?

[Gerto]

Originally Posted by Frans

You're visiting this forum because you are interested in personal development and the work of Steve Pavlina.
One of the most important issues on this site is about the Law of Attraction and Intention-Manifestation.
You cannot find an explanation for these phenomenons if you deny subjective reality.
The conclusion is: your thoughts change the world (your world).
Want to change the world? Change your thoughts.

Why do you want to make things more complicated than they are?

Yeah, let's not make things so complicated, changing our thoughts will certainly prevent people from starving to death, it will certainly stop the genocide in Darfur and will make world peace happen! Who needs money or working together on goals anyway *sigh*

[Raynt]

Originally Posted by Jim Westergren

Great idea.

Thank you.

Originally Posted by elimisteve

Some questions worth thinking about:

1. In all the world, what are we most dissatisfied with? (Genocide in Darfur, political corruption (and beyond), something else?)

2. What message do we want to send? Exactly what meme are we trying to propagate?

3. What specific skills do we have that we can use to carry out our mission?

1. This group is scattered everywhere and we have very limited to no resources, we should probably keep that in mind while we decide.

2. To help others and be tolerant of differences I suppose.

3. I must admit at this point in life my skills are rather limited, but I love to research important topics, write and am willing to learn a skill that could be useful as well. Other than that it's menial labor for me.

Originally Posted by Frans

The conclusion is: your thoughts change the world (your world).
Want to change the world? Change your thoughts.

Why do you want to make things more complicated than they are?

If you believe in the superior power of thoughts, why not use your actions as a means to express your beliefs and utterly believe that they will make a difference. Use your actions as a force multiplier for your thoughts!

[toasterwater]

This is outstanding. I am so excited about this, thank you all for your enthusiasm. I am currently working on converting my website into a platform from which we can launch this project (Nothing against steves forum, but i think we could use a more purpose specific platform )

I plan on having that site in operational conditions within 2 weeks MAX. The only reason i even give that long of an estimate is because me and the 2 others currently working on the site have very busy schedules right now. That being said, if there are any website engineers (forgive my lack of apropriate terminology) on here who would like to help us get that site into operational condition, please contact me. We dont have alot to do, and i think that when i write a couple of articles on my visions, it will help alot.

Just to keep you all up-to-date on my visions, this is what ive been seeing lately. We will build a community. A worldwide community that is interested in the positive, peaceful development of the human kind, and our home (earth). While some of us do not yet possess all of the skills/resources, etc. to help this project to our fullest ability (and keep in mind that anyone can help, regardless of skill level/resource availability) Personal Development will be an underlying theme in this community. Obviously all of us are interested in PD, so why not help eachother out? The PD buddy system so to speak. Some of us are financial geniuses, some of us are fitness gurus, some of us are time management experts, so forth and so on. With all of these people all willing to help the community, we will easily be able to accomplish any goal we set our collective mind on!

This is very exciting to me, and i love seeing that number of "yes"'s growing every day (Im refering to the poll of course).

Please, if you have any questions, or the desire to start helping now, feel free to contact me via any means available to you. My email address, yahoo messenger, AIM screennames are all available- use them!

[PhoenixBlossom]

Originally Posted by Gerto

Yeah, let's not make things so complicated, changing our thoughts will certainly prevent people from starving to death, it will certainly stop the genocide in Darfur and will make world peace happen! Who needs money or working together on goals anyway *sigh*

"Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change" - Dr. Wayne Dyer

I guess I'm with Frans.

Love & Joy

[Gerto]

Originally Posted by PhoenixBlossom

"Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change" - Dr. Wayne Dyer

I guess I'm with Frans.

Love & Joy

I believe that statement is true. But don't you think it's a bit of an easy way out of helping others? You can't just say "I don't have to actually DO anything to change the world, I'm doing more than enough thinking about the world." You can combine it. Think about a better world and take action for a better world! (By the way: in my opinion the statement that the way you think about the world changes it means: "The way you think about the world, changes your actions and therefore changes the world." But off course, you can take it more literally, still not an excuse to stop taking actions in my opinion.)

[ABlix]

Maybe if we start with educational reform? The educational system was originally started in order to, "Americanize" the immigrants. As in, "put them through a filter" (direct quotation from "The Enduring Vision," edition three). Hundreds of years later, things have changed a lot, but the educational system still mainly works at conformity rather than allowing creative energies to flow. I'm currently stuck in such a system, and can provide some insight. It's more about cramming and doing well on tests, rather than relating it to bigger issues such as the Environmental Problem, or even the way our world is changing.

After reading Friedman's book, "The World is Flat," he talks about how decades from now, our world will endure some problems and it will be more difficult to succeed. Rather, than personally taking responsibility for teaching children the skills needed, some teachers brush it off as "that will be your guys problems," without being terribly motivating. To simply inject kids with more fear about their future, rather than help them accomplish their future is a big "uh oh" in my experience. No one is to blame, however, but our own lack of will to change something that is relevant.

[tsg]

I found a wonderful, well-thought-out and practical way to actually save our planet here - OceansOcean.com

Here is the article:
Ocean’s Four-Fold Plan to Save the Planet



There is a four-fold plan that will absolutely save the world, if instituted
universally very, very soon, while there's still time -



1. Veganize

2. Be Child-Free

3. Ecoize

4. Create Diplomatic Solutions Internationally - Think Globally





1. Veganize

Veganize to Save the Planet





"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival
of life o***n Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetable-based diet."

-Albert Einstein



"If Americans were to reduce their meat consumption by o***nly 10 per
cent for o***ne year, it would free at least 12 millions tons of grain for human
consumption - or enough to feed 60 million people... Indeed, if Americans
were to stop eating grain-fed beef altogether the grain thus released would
be enough to feed all the 600 million people in India. -Peter Singer, Author


Do you want the planet to survive? Do you want for all the starving childrn
in the world to thrive? Do you want all the over-fed children to survive?

Do you actually care for the spiritual? For Compassion? For others? Do you
care about the cruel suffering inflicted upon helpless, sweet beings?


Veganizing from a Spiritual Perspective



Suppose you met a soul who was unable to speak quite legibly, who was naive,
trusting, and not quite as bright as yourself. Would you treat him with kindness? With respect?
What if he were in fact helpless. Would you offer sympathy, compassion? Pity,
at least?
Treat him with mercy?

You meet him every day in many forms- this innocent, helpless soul,

As the innocent and helpless victims of the most horrendous aspect of our
society, the most helpless of all beings, the victims of the meat industry.

The most shameful legacy of our shameful era, factory farming has taken the
already cruel practice of eating fellow mammals and taken it to a level far
beyond evil.

In the interest of profit for the handful of owners, every shred of decent
behaviour extended to these utterly dependent and feeling beings has been
stripped away.

Few laws protect them, and of those, most are ignored.

In many states, even inspection in to their torture chambers is not allowed.

Why would they - the raisers, the o***nes who make profit off the untold misery
of totally innocent animals - why would they not want for their warehouses,
their transporters, and, particularly, their butcheries, to be seen? o***nly
if they are not complying with the minimal laws which are in place would they
seek to hide their doings like criminals.

One does not act guilty if there has not been a crime.

The fact that they do not ensure either that the animals in their care are
either raised humanely, transported humanely, or even killed humanely.

We, the people, we, the Americans, have a voice in this. We, the citizens of the World, have the choice in this.

We must use it to aid the sentient, suffering beings at the very bottom of
society- the animals raised and murdered for food.

We need to make sure that the cruelest of people are not allowed to continue
their clandestine outrages against the o***nes who, in Issac Bashevis singer's
words are 'totally inoffensive' animals.

We must be their voice.

'If ye have done it unto the least of them, you have done it unto me.'

The words of Jesus apply to all these souls, the very most helpless of our
world. Jesus himself chose not o***nly to be born among them- the barnyard animals,
the least of society- our greatest victims, - but he also chose to be called
'the Lamb'.



Veganizing from a Personal Life Enhancement Angle



Do you like to live? To be hot? To stay youthful? To be healthy and vital,
energetic and attractive?

Do you want to be able to, with every part of your being, with your body,
soul, mind, and heart, with your spirit, be able to say that you are aliened?
Whole? That what your mind knows and your heart feels - that it's wrong, wrong,
wrong to shove innocent fellow animals into horrible, small complexes that
make the idea of hell a reality and then to murder them in atrocious conditions
- that it's wrong to take the acres needed to grow grain that would keep countless
starving children alive by growing grain instead of feeding grazing herds
of cattle - would you like to have all of you - mind, soul, heart, body -
aligned in knowing that by your every meal, your every day of being alive,
that you are living in compassion and righteousness?

Your entire life will change into a glowing, beauteous exercise in power,
stamina, energy, and spiritualness that you have never before had access to
when you decide to go vegan.

http://www.Veganize.com

http://www.EcoEat.com



2. Be Child-Free and/or Adopt



Think of the world as o***ne household. The house is small, the income fixed,
and they cannot move. The family already has a child, and cannot feed another,
and yet they think of having another child. Either the quality of life will
suffer and each will have less food, they will put o***ne out to starve, close
the windows, and not heed his cries, or they will stop having children, if
they have any compassion or caring.

EcoChildFree

Stop Human Overpopulation

GetFixed.org

ChildFix



3. Ecoize

Ecoize to Keep the Planet Alive

Ecoize and You Will Thrive

EcoMermaid.com :: Where Saving The Planet Is Fun



With your heart, make every choice in life.

Choose to buy o***nly planet-friendly, vegan, compassionate products.

Seek them out.

Get lists of who does and who doesn't test o***n animals, like these -

Caring Consumer // A Guide to Kind Living



http://www.americanhumane.org/site/D...pdf?docID=3821

Boycott cruelty-based industries.

find lists here

Care2 : The Petition Site : Create free, easy online petitions



Find out how to use o***nly green products and where to buy them.

Even with pests - learn how to deal with them respectfully and compassionately
at

http://www.loveinsects.com/

Tread lightly during your stay o***n earth, your spirit will lighten too, as well as your body.



4. Create Diplomatic Solutions Internationally - Think Globally

Insist o***n diplomatic rapport, o***n unilateral discussions, o***n peaceful conclusions
to all problems in the world among nations, within nations, and other cultures.

Insist that religiosity stay out of politics.

Insist o***n logical thought, problem-solving, and in finding answers.

Find common denominators. Focus o***n what we have in common.

Diminish the differences.

Seek to communicate with all and insist that our governments do the same.

Vote with your conscience.

Vote with your determination to save our planet.

Vote with your dollars and your voice every day. Boycott where necessary.

Email and join campaigns, lobby, spread the word. Use your power.



If you feel that war is wrong, voice your feelings and your morality.

If you don't, then examine your soul, and follow the money - find out who
war benefits and who it destroys.

Find out which industries excel at making profits o***n war and basically, follow
the themes, the threads, and decide how you want your tax dollars to be spent
and how your conscience feels about it, and then become active in effecting
change.



If you do not step up to create change, you are part of the problem - not
part of the solution.

Become active.

Do something every day to help innocent victims, to help starving children,
to help helpless animals, to help struggling adults, to help save trees and
wildlife and wild lands, to help create green industries to take over from
the cruel o***nes, to learn more and more about how your power right now can
save the world - and by every meal, by every purchase, by every thought -
be compassionate.

This will save the planet.

Act now!

To join Ocean in her Campaign to Save the Planet, Visit
at OceansOcean.com and email her there.