[StrongHeartsWin]

Quote by: Zinkovich Which is part of my opinion. Out of all the higher-level college students I have had lengthened discussions with, motivating them to even discuss putting thier ideas to action beyond the conceptual stage is near impossible for me. I believe that if academia even further encouraged activity then it does now we'd have even more ideas, and applications thereof in the works.

When I was in college, I did not aspire to actions that would promote an altruistic society. I saw many students join demonstrations that they believed in and felt at the time I had better things to do -- like drink and meat women. Now that I have gotten older, I find myself very concerned with joining groups to promote activism and change in society. I have blossomed late on the desire to act to affect change. You are lucky to be bitten with the bug while in college. I think that will translate into leadership if you follow your passions on the issue.

Sometimes, when one looks back in history they can imagine how many ideas were lost because people did not apply themselves, or lacked confidence.

Yes, the few must be willing to apply actions with confidence in the belief that they are right and despite their few numbers can affect change:

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. ~Margaret Mead

How does one draw the ideas out of the intellectual realm and make it reality?

Good question and just noting that it is hard is a good start. I think one has to be a man of action and not dither too long on the road to be taken if the road has not even been built yet, which in this paradigm has not. You just have to do something and gauge the result of that action and then modify it. Since you have not given any real world example of exactly which idea you`d like address, it is hard to give a suggestion about what action may be possible.

For example, if I want to promote vegetarianism, one of the actions I may want to do would be to set up a booth for outreach, or pay for a newspaper add and through those programs invite others to join in not only adopting that position, but also request that they help the movement by promoting it.

I think it would be rather rewarding to seek out those who are on the forefront of innovation, and to gather thier advice and ideas from them, or offer support.

I think so, too. But be careful not to fall into the "I need more study under my mentor" before I can consider myself of striking out on my own." I have this friend who was very talented in something and had a mentor, but he never could leave the deciple stage and never developed in his own right. With him it was always, "I need more study" on the point. Sometimes you can study yourself into a pillar of concrete.

Most scriptures contradict, giving a mixed message of optimism and pessimism depending on the tone. WIth the risk of outright deception, I imagine somebody could memorize the more optimistic passages of the multiple religious scriptures and make a lot of the more malleable laymen reconsider things about the judgement inherent in thier religious viewpoint.

Yes, but while the laymen may not catch you are just feeding them one side, if anothe expert who is quite versed in the other side notices what you are doing and then points it out, you will have been discredited. Best to give both sides and just through reason demonstrate how contradictions fall down on themselves. Let the Bibles of the world be their own worse enemies.

I think this is wrong and elementary needs to move towards teaching actual critical thinking at an early age.

Yes. But what parents are going to support critical thinking when they want to lie to their children and tell them that there is a man in a red suit that delivers toys to all the children of the world, and try to keep this belief in them as long as possible. But, the schools should not declare such things as absurd, they should as a child to try and memorise every child`s name in the school and ask them what present they all wanted and try to remember that, and then ask the child if he could do it? If the child says no, then ask him if it is possible without even mentioning Santa. Such an exercise, if not convincing and telling something about falsehoods, would at least set the stage for the mind to begin questioning possibilities and probabilities.

Movies won't work, and neither do books. It's already been tried- so what would be better is something truly momentous and iconic of both the misery of the poor as well as the potentiality of thier future when given aid. Don't ask me what it would be, though, I don't have a clue.

I don`t think there ever will be a set formula, for each person has their own filter in how they accept things. Some would be moved by the words of an intellectual person, others by a personal experience, and still some after a lot of input through words from books from a number of different persons with different parts of the puzzle.

The most effective way would be to have the most powerful platform available to get something across. Celebrities have a fan base. Anchormen have national audiences, Philanthropists have the power of finances. You have to decide how you are going to erect your platform rather than the process or technique of what will convince someone -- because you have control over the former and none over the latter.

That said, good to know you're proficient in Japanese. I'll be sure to PM you for random bits of advice when I get stuck

Sure, if it`s not too hard. <smile>