Seriously small ideas

The power of ideas

Crisis can only change our behaviours when there are new ideas to turn to. Without new ideas, people tend to stick to their own perceptions rather than change their way of viewing the world. Even when the facts turn our current beliefs upside down, there needs to be a new idea or otherwise we stick to the beliefs we have invested in. This phenomena is better know as cognitive dissonance. So if we are in a crisis, which a lot of us think we are, where are the new ideas to turn to? Who has the big idea that can help us to the next level. Otherwise, we will fall into the same trap as in 2008 when the financial crisis started with the fall of Lehmann Brothers. What happend was a lot of words but basically it is still the same. Or as Joris Luyendijk said in his study of the London City: “it is like we are standing next to Chernobyl and have turned on the reactors again under the same management”. In my opinion there is no one Big Idea anymore. There are only small and seriously smart ideas that together have the potential to change the world. And these seriously small ideas are everywhere, if you want to see them. Look at the domain of energy production for instance. Neighbourhood by neighbourhood is forming a cooperation to create their own energy-plant. Together they can do it. In small gatherings. With (small) little means they can change their world for the better. Perhaps Seriously Small is the new Big?! At least that is my version of the world of tomorrow. So let’s change and use something seriously small to do so.