Acumen

I really enjoyed what Seth Godin said about Acumen and it's program. I, myself, am studying to go to medical school and ultimately become a doctor, so when I heard Seth Gordin's advice on not going to medical school I was intrigued. As I heard his argument, I saw that he was right. It is a broken system and there are always going to be doctors in the US. I do not think that we will ever run out.

The number one thing that I love about this organization is that it is made up of people who all want to be there. I think it's so inspiring hearing about people who have traveled halfway across the world to do something for a cause that they believe in.

Overall, I really like the aim and mission of this organization, I believe that it is very worthwhile what they are doing. I like how they encourage failure and being independent and different from others. I hope that I can have the same courage as they do and be able to go halfway around the world for something that I believe in also.

Why waste paper??

As I was thinking about this topic, which was very difficult, I was thinking about things that society consumes on a regular basis. Things that we take for granted, and things that we waste constantly. The first thing that I thought of was something that we all use and need: paper. According to www.digital-publishing.co.uk, the United States alone consumes 1/3 of the world's paper. So, what is an efficient way to stop consuming so much, yet still supply for the demand?

I was thinking of a machine that could produce paper from feeding it leaves and branches. It would have to be small, compact, light, and most of all efficient. Something that one could carry to school, to work. Because it seems like leaves are everywhere for people to use, yet we do not use it for our benefit. There is so much potential stored in these thin, fragile bits that we take for granted everyday. 

By doing this, we could cut down the levels of rainforest destruction drastically and lessen the effects of global warming because there would be more trees. I believe that this would be very efficient, and it will ultimately help humanity in their quest to find a solution to global warming.

Care vs. Cash

When hurricane Katrina hit the Louisiana coast some years ago, the flood of aid and volunteers seemed endless. America as a nation rose to the occasion in order for us to help those that needed out help. This patriotism and down right kindness is a reason that this calamity did not get overhand.
Yet, when an earthquake hit in China 2 years ago, leaving half a million dead, the aid was not overwhelming; the reaction was great, but the desire to give aid did not personally resonate in the hearts of Americans as it did in Hurricane Katrina. The US gave millions of dollars in aid and supplies, yet the affects of that earthquake is still being felt today by the Chinese.
In another example, North Korea has been receiving much aid not only from America, but from other countries as well. This has been happening for years and years, yet little, if at all anything, has changed. North Koreans are continually suffering even with the outpoor of aid.

These three examples prove to us that money is just paper that can be exchanged for a product. It does not provide relief; it does not bring about any big change in hearts. The only way to bring about a change in the way people believe and people react is personally. Money only goes so far, it's personality that makes the distance