Ariana Huffington is on a mission. She, long a poster child for Type-A careerism and "I'll rest when I'm dead," is taking stock and embracing a more maternal view, if you will, of humans and society and the world. This new view is a complement to what I see as (and fervently hope is) a gentle revolution in many countries, including our own. From organics, sustainability, recycling, upcycling, the Occupy movement, and the holistic approach to medicine, to the renewed focus on back-to-basics and craftsmanship and small business, there seems to be a rejection of the excesses, self-centeredness, and greed of "the corporate ladder," the hypocrisy of politicians, and the "more, more, more" ethos of recent decades.
"It's time for a third metric," Huffington recently told the graduating class of Smith College, "beyond money and power—one founded on
well-being, wisdom, our ability to wonder and to give back. Money and
power by themselves are a two-legged stool: you can balance on them
for a while, but eventually you're going to topple over. And more and
more people, very successful people, are toppling over. Basically,
success the way we've defined it is no longer sustainable. It's no
longer sustainable for human beings or for societies. To live the lives
we want, and not just the ones we settle for, the ones society defines
as successful, we need to include the third metric" (text and video of full speech):
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/19/arianna-huffington-smith-college-commencement-speech_n_3299888.html
An abandoned, decaying house in York, Alabama, is razed, and a 100-seat open-air theater is put up in its place. Not just any theater, though. When it's not being used as a free public space for concerts, plays, and the like, it all folds up into the shape and look of a little house again (video): http://vimeo.com/70386286#
