I just finished reading Vinod Rajasekaran’s piece on Social Innovation Canada’s website. Vinod is the publisher and CEO of Future of Good, a website chalk full of great info for those working in social innovation. Future of Good is very topical and not afraid to raise serious questions about the charitable and nonprofit sector especially. Vinod is a bright guy, and in this blog makes some strong points and a critical take on the state of preparedness of the social innovation ecosystem in Canada to make inroads on the crises of our times.
Vinod’s critical inquiry ends with an invitation for all concerned parties to start to think seriously about the future changes required. I feel like telling Vinod that these invitations were sent out already long ago. And nothing of impactful note has happened. So if you’re not already thinking about these key issues, here’s your chance now.
It’s time for us to draw a line in the sand and take a determinate stand on the key fundamental question: What radical change to our economic system is required? How far are you willing to go? Neo-liberalism is exhausted. Radical solutions are required to enable future generations to breathe clean air in strong healthy ecosystems. Politicians, corporate leaders, even many academics, are proposing mostly lukewarm incremental change. They need to step aside and be led by us. We need to start thinking big, and remember that line in the sand. On our side are system wide radical solutions that will require sound arguments and healthy coalition building. Remember too, those on the opposing side of the line are up to this challenge as well, with their own intrepid insistence on the status quo baked in with their colonialist mentality, and they aren’t simply going to step aside and let us through. This is the political, social, economic and cultural battle of our time.
