Continuing to be relevant

I have continued to think about the concept of remarkable - what we encounter by way of products or services in our day to day lives that causes us to think "wow". And it's not always the "newest" that is remarkable. Take the RSA or the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (www.thersa.org). This society is over 250 years old and is perhaps even more relevant today than when it was founded by William Shipley in a coffee house in Covent Garden. He believed that social progress could be achieved through excellence and innovation across the sciences, arts, manufacturing and commerce. Today it's purpose is " 21st Century enlightenment: enriching society through ideas and action". It does this through a number of initiatives; I particularly like the RSA animates (one of which I talked about in a previous post, 19th August: Where do good ideas come from?). The RSA Animate series is a way of sharing innovative and challenging ideas through thought provoking illustrations and commentary. A wonderful example of this is on 21st Century Enlightenment that beautifully connects the original intent of the society with its purpose today: https://www.thersa.org/discover/videos/rsa-animate/2010/09/rsa-animate---21st-century-enlightenment/.

It finishes with a quote from Margaret Mead: " Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has". I wonder what those small group of citizens meeting together at Rawthmell’s Coffee House in 1754 to found the RSA would think today if they could sit down and watch this video, in an office or home half way around the world, in a country that as yet, did not appear on their globe? Now that's when you need the Dr and his Tardis, to enjoy a bit of time travel ...

The "remarkable" Tardis and the 10th Dr (my favourite)