The Quest to Inspire Action

Look at these two tweets from a student in my New Media Tools Class:

@nickgagalis @stevegarfield Thanks again for teaching us how to broadcast live. I’ll probably be using blog talk radio over the summer for baseball talk. #

@nickgagalis @stevegarfield I’m a broadcaster for the Brewster Whitecaps in the Cape Cod Baseball League, and we’ll have a weekly show using that site. #

I prefer Thomas Henry Huxley’s quote here: “The great end of knowledge is not knowledge, but action.” Huxley was one of the great early advocates of Darwin’s work. Also, the variation of the quote you have here that involves education, I believe, is from Herbert Spencer: “The great aim of education is not knowledge, but action.”

But I agree with your continuation of this historic line of thinking. In social media (or my accursed albatross, ‘knowledge management’), we seek not to connect or grow our understanding in order to connect or grow our understanding – we are continuously seeking improved action in human endeavors. This is a caution for any who grow excessively fond of their toys.

“The object of education isn’t knowledge; it’s action.”

Hmmm, I think differently ~ “The true object of education is inspiration; and the object of inspiration is loving action”.

I think…

The objective of education isn’t knowledge, it’s know-how. As an educator I ponder the paradox of teaching and learning daily. Your post is thought provoking. Thanks!

There is a vast difference between knowledge, education, and schooling. The first two do not necessarily come from the last!

You make a good point — education is about know-how, not just knowledge. In similar fashion, information isn’t just about data, it’s about insight. It’s all about how you use education and information.

Exactly – this is the underlying reason that social media and marketing coincide so well. If you spend the time to have a conversation with someone then educate them on what they “want” to know, action naturally takes place – not in a vacuum but due to education – thanks.

Inspire action by taking action yourself. Less noise, more signal – as the Warcraft crowd says, less QQ, more pewpew. Do. Act. Create. At worst you’ll get a learning experience. At best, you’ll create the Next Big Thing.

Also, the other reason we created PodCamp was because we didn’t want to have to travel to the West Coast for every single podcasting event back then :)

Yes in deed. The answer for our clients isn’t just doing a social media marketing campaign for them, it’s teaching them how to emerge and be in the social media space. Is that shooting ourselves in the foot? Why do they need “teachers”, if they already know how to do it? The key is to be an inspiring teacher, who makes his/her students wanting constantly to learn more.

chris best post and words yet.

Education should inspire greater hunger for learning and that I think is what much of the social media and internet at large is all about. Education should perhaps be re-labelled edu-action because that’s where it all happens, as you point out – with action. 2 small letters transposed to make all the difference!! It then might create a whole paradigm shift in the eduaction industry…hmmm now that’s pause for thought stuff.

Vive la eduACTION!!! Power to the students…

just one other note…

Chris whenever anyone types, designs, creates, produces

if they are trying to communicate… and communicate effectively…the concept of “action” should not only be forefront in their mind it should be clear.
This is the problem with the internet as it stands as an incubator. It is overhwelmingly “self centered flatulation via unclear purpose”…lol.
“Let me say my thoughts to impress them…to let out my frustration… to let people know I exist…”
All fine things. But does it activate…something…anything. 90% of the time… not what anyone really needs at this point. Thus it’s monetary worth…minimal. …and the noise is getting wider, annoying and distracting.

“The object of education isn’t knowledge; it’s action.”

Indeed it is. Curiosity… interest… knowledge… belief… Action.

I’m an old dawg, learning new tricks. Two BloggerCons, three PodCamps, a handful of BarCamps… Twitter and Facebook… a whole lot of reading, and talking to people. Learning by experience, peer-to-peer. What was I thinking?

Goodness in people exists. If awakening goodness is your quest, and you are convinced of the power social media, then it rests with you to seek people, with whom to “build awareness, reputation, and trust into a whole new path by which to build relationships.”

“How will you inspire action?”

For me, though it took years to get there, it started with this post, Context is critical: Where is your customer’s attention?

And, the result of that post? Serious gatejumping attention. Heh.

Thanks, Chris… I can write the backstory for blog now :)

I really hate the sorts of comments that I’m about to write, but, thanks Chris.

I think I get it now.

Here’s a similar quote from the ad world. Amazingly, it’s from a very senior marketer at GM. “Good advertising makes you feel something then do something.”

Knowledge is power, that’s what you gain when you educate yourself. Social media is great because it allows you to learn things from people all over, that you didn’t even know you wanted to learn something from. Social media also intrigues your curiosity which also makes you want to take action, and with action you inspire people to learn and want to do better.

Erica

I agreed education is really based and gained for bring attitude change. As education is not for knowing; it is for understanding actually.

I try to inspire action everyday on my blog. Via photos, writing, and community interaction, people are discovering things to do in LA, plus taking a new look at their own neighborhood.

And I’m having a great time doing it.

BTW, Chris, I’m looking forward to meeting you in a few days………………….:)

Your concept defines every great teacher I’ve had. Time to spread the word!

I’m going to inspire action by wearing red shoes every single day for a year in the name of non-profit. Should be fun!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Chris. It made me think – that’s why I continue to read what you have to say. You were already on your described path… it seems that you just defined your purpose further. That’s a good feeling!

Funny. I was trying to think of what to say here, and instead I took some action that I wouldn’t have otherwise. Thanks for the gadizionth time, Chris.

Here’s a spin on the quote. “reason leads to conclusions; emotion leads to action” Donald Calne neurologist

Chris very good, defining post. I certainly agree that we must move people to action.

There is a disproportionate amount of knowledge to what is actually acted upon. Those bloggers, writers and thinkers that move us to DO what they SAY will stand tall amidst all the talk.

This has inspired me to get back to action!

Great message!