Interview with Ernst Fuld (General manager of the Netwerk Gebruikersgroep Nederland (NGN) and former general manager of the TINE-event). Taken from the book “Breakthrough”, special edition for TEDxAmsterdam 2009.
The TED theme, “ideas worth spreading”, is my personal motto. Ideas are the driving force behind everything you do and are therefor of vital importance for changing the world. TED facilitates the dissemination of ideas, which I find outstanding. Why would you spend your evening watching “As the world turns”, when you could watch TEDTalks! These videos are food for thought!
Some people believe that ideas are not realistic or woolly, but I think that is nonsense. Ideas are reality and they are not vague. And it’s absolutely great when ideas put things in motion. I greatly admire Willie Smits (TEDTalk Willie Smits restores a rainsforest) and his work with orangoutangs. With simple means he gets things done, and in doing so he reaches areas beyond the scope of the apes. He helps an entire region and as a result a personal initiative becomes a global movement.
My favourite TEDTalk is the story of William Kamkwamba from Malawi (TEDTalk William Kamkwamba on building a windmill). William is a born inventor. When he was 14, he built an electricityproducing windmill from spare parts and scrap, working from rough plans he found in a library book called “Using Energy” and modifying them to fit his needs. The windmill he built powers four lights and two radios in his family home. This illiterate boy showed enormous grandeur when he built a windmill, just by looking at illustrations in a book. That’s what I call “Ideas worth spreading”!
Tip: Get enthused about something and then execute it!
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