Week 2: Social Innovation, The Gospel and Me

This week, we covered many of the ways in which someone can work towards social innovation and how they can be effective.  It was noted that jobs don't really exist in social innovation, rather, you work on social innovation in whatever field you work.  I am reminded of a journalism class that I took in college many years ago.  It was my first Journalism class towards a journalism major.  I was so excited.  Then my professor told the class that good journalists don't major in journalism.  They major in political science or history or or fields that give them information to use in their writing / reporting.  I've always remembered that.

I enjoyed the video titled, "Inside the Mind of a College Social Innovator".  I liked hearing the perspective of 4 different young people who found their way into making a difference.  I was inspired to know that anyone can be the change that the world needs.  I have no excuses.

Jeffrey Thompson's article, "What is your calling in Life?" talked about one's calling in life and whether or not we each have one true purpose or meaning.  I can see the comparison to the gospel by looking at Christ's one ultimate purpose of the Atonement.  He accomplished many things while on this earth, but that was his true purpose.  Social innovation can take many forms and create good along the way.  I don't know that we have one purpose any more than we have a soul mate on the earth.  I think many people could pair up and be happy with a variety of others, but I don't necessarily believe that there is only 1 person out there for each of us.  If there was, I don't know that we would ever find each other.  In the same way, I believe that we can each lean towards innovation that interests us or uses our talents, but that doesn't mean we couldn't be useful in a variety of ways.