How to change the world - Essay Example

Social Entrepreneurs According to journalist David Bornstein, social entrepreneurs are individuals with powerful ideas that impact the lives of others, especially when the recipients implement such ideas across cities, countries, and even the world at large (Bornstein 21). These people include the lawyers, teachers, doctors, engineers, journalists, and parents who take the responsibility to solve social problems on a large scale and cause a significant effect on the society (Bornstein 25). These individuals might not be very famous, but have the ability to create a transformative force that addresses serious problems.

They therefore see the realization of national vision and goals of their respective nations. The individuals who have been discussed in “How to Change the World” are from countries such as brazil, United States, India, Hungary, Burkina Faso, and Bangladesh (Bornstein 28). These people have advanced systemic change and shifted perceptions and behavior patterns. They have innovated massive ideas for solving problems; and they are determined and yearn to spread the ideas throughout the society.

One of the social entrepreneurs that have been profiled by Bornstein is Gloria de Souza, a 45-year-old elementary school teacher in Bombay (Bornstein 29). In 1981, she was inspired to transform education across India; this was stirred up by her observation of 20 years of rote learning, a thing she desired to change (Bornstein 34). Souza adapted her teaching ideas to India’s specific circumstances and founded an organization to build a team to spread her ideas. Her project got stipend from a social entrepreneur organization, named Ashoka.

She managed to disseminate her Environmental Studies (EVS) approach to teaching. By the end of the 1980s, Souza’s success was very eminent; the Indian government had incorporated EVS into its curriculum, and it was reported that this approach had significantly increased student performance. The lessons I have learned from Souza’s case is that change requires an intrinsic motivation, coupled with action steps; Souza acts upon her observation by taking step to set up her own organization.

There is also need to secure for some source of human resource and funds to institute a transformative project; Souza gets stipend from Ashoka-a social entrepreneur organization and builds a team to realize her goal. In addition, it is important to create a relevant project for easy adoption and integration; Souza adapts her teaching ideas to India’s specific issues, a thing that saw the incorporation of EVS into the India’s education curriculum.These lessons are very important because we need to be driven by our intrinsic motivation to climb to higher grounds.

Transformative actions call for individual’s ability to go beyond the ordinary levels in terms of thinking and taking actions. I therefore embrace the efforts and creative by Souza to realize her dream. This is insightful into my life because it has helped me to understand the very fundamental principles that contribute to our success in life; I will embrace and apply innovativeness and cooperation in my life to achieve to my life goals. Saul Alinsky ideas significantly differ from the approach of social entrepreneurs in that they are inclined towards political success, rather than solving social problems.

His philosophy has significantly influenced the politics of the United States. It is therefore clear that the ideas and the theories spread by Saul Alinsky differ from those of social entrepreneurs. Works CitedBornstein, David. How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007.