According to sociologist Paul H. Ray and psychologist Sherry Ruth Anderson, “Cultural Creatives” are leading-edge creators of a new culture in America in this time of epochal change. There are 50 million people around the world shaping a new agenda for the twenty-first century.
In their book, The Cultural Creatives, the authors extrapolate from their research the many ways a person’s values can relate to creating a culture in which reframing helps you look at old problems through a new lens.
According to Ray, his research shows “that the more a person is engaged in social activism, ecology, philanthropy, and social justice, the more likely they are to be engaged also in developing their spiritual lives and personal growth. This seeking for authenticity is part of what links each person’s own personal growth with the concerns for the big picture.”
Authenticity and concern for the big picture are part of what drives philanthropic energy and sustain a culture that strives to create a more compassionate and harmonious community. For those who will achieve high impact philanthropy, reframing the problem brings about revolutionary solutions while advancing a receptive community of like- minded culture creatives. This receptivity allows for individuals in the community to create an environment in which it is possible for each person to leverage their abilities to the fullest.
Such an environment also helps to restock social capital and serves as a common meeting ground for individuals to bond in purpose by asking “What do you think?” rather than “What do you do?” It is an environment that provides transparency and trust among all who choose to contribute their time, talent and treasure to challenge the status quo and co-create the world we want by reframing the world many see as ugly and out of control.
The energy of philanthropic tenacity and purpose will leave an everlasting footprint as cultural creatives shape the society in which we live. No deed is too small, no gift too large; all are necessary and vital for change and innovation to occur. Each one of us is a cultural creative in our own right. Spread the word.
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