Up Front: Office Hours
Small Actions, Big Change
Professor Alex Madva is a philosopher whose work explores moral psychology, social change, and the forces that shape how people think and act together. His latest book, “Somebody Should Do Something: How Anyone Can Help Create Social Change,” challenges the instinct to wait for others and shows how small, coordinated actions can ripple outward in powerful ways.
Why do people often feel like their individual actions don’t matter — and are they wrong?
We often think about our opportunities to make a difference too narrowly. When I recycle a bottle or cast a vote in a Presidential election, am I adding a teeny drop to a massive bucket? The odds that my single act of recycling or voting will sway human history seem so low! But this way of thinking about our opportunity to make a difference is all wrong.
What separates actions that spark broader change from those that fizzle out?
What predicts whether your friends will show up at the protest? It’s when you go and invite them to come along. The biggest impact we can make is on each other.
How can people stay motivated to push for change when progress is slow or uncertain?
What predicts whether you and your friends will show up at the next protest? It’s when you had a great time together at the last one! The trick is to find the joy in doing the work together.