Showing 6 articles

Living the Spirit of Gandhiji

Author: Vivek Divekar

November 30, 2018

Over the ages, many Individuals, even while seeking to overcome their own personal challenges have endeavoured and succeeded in contributing to Humanity. The greatness of these persons was defined by the spirit of purpose they exhibited during their lifetime. These were common men, who chose to walk in the footsteps trod earlier by giants. This [...]

Impact of an Idealist: Ela Bhatt

Author: Manjula Nanavati

September 30, 2018

One could attempt to describe Ela Bhatt with adjectives: soft-spoken, tenacious, compassionate, dedicated, principled, self-effacing. Or one could use nouns: lawyer, labor-leader, social activist, banker, author, philanthropist. But all these words together still do not comprehensively encompass her visionary foresight, her inexhaustible energy, her unbending strength of purpose, and her [...]

Idealism, Philosophy, Volunteering – Three Pathways for Change

Author: Gilad Sommer

April 3, 2018

Many of us wish to change the world. But how can it be done? First of all, it is obvious we are not just seeking to change the world – the world is changing anyhow, regardless of what we do. The ancient philosophers wisely stated that the only permanent thing in the world is change. [...]

The Ideal Activist: Inner Work for Outer Change

Author: Harianto H Mehta

October 19, 2017

With a burning aspiration and courageous determination, many a youth dares to dream of a better world, driven by the need to take responsibility and participate in bringing about the clearly evident need for change, whether in the realm of ecology, literacy, socio-economic disparity, or the myriad other causes that demand attention in our times. [...]

We Need More Activism and Philosophy

Author: Sabine Leitner

February 26, 2016

It is often said that by changing ourselves, we can change the world, and I believe that is true. However, is individual change sufficient?  Is it enough to try to behave in a responsible and conscious way in order to bring about the collective change that is so urgently needed? Let’s look at some examples: [...]

Philosophical Activism: For Best Results Start at the Root

Author: Gilad Sommer

March 4, 2015

Many of us feel the need to take concrete action, with the hope that our children may have a better place to live in. However, without contemplating the deeper reasons for our problems, activism can become a Sisyphean task – acting repeatedly, without making any real change. Wangari Maathai, the late Kenyan Nobel prize winner, [...]