Recrently it seems that everywhere I turn there are people discussing the Human Side of life – or as we here at TUmmelvision refer to it – the art of social engagement. So I was pleasantly surprised to see this recent article from Gary Hamel in his WSJ blog. Gary discussed the need for bringing soul back to business in this article entitled “The Hole in the Soul of Business”
A noble purpose inspires sacrifice, stimulates innovation and encourages perseverance. In so doing, it transforms great talent into exceptional accomplishment. That’s a fact—and it leaves me wondering: Why are words like “love,” “devotion” and “honor” so seldom heard within the halls of corporate-dom? Why are the ideals that matter most to human beings the ones that are most notably absent in managerial discourse?
This article brought back to mind one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite movies – Dead Poet Society.
We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman, “O me! O life!… of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless… of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?” Answer. That you are here – that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play *goes on* and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?
The nature of our networked world in which we now have the power and ability to participate is pretty darn exciting. We just have to remember to not strip technology from it’s human essence.
