Nipun Mehta has provided the material for many NPD posts through his wonderful Daily Good blog. I had the pleasure of spending a few hours with him several years ago and greatly admire his service orientation. I believe service is the antidote to greed and can help transform a “me” into a “we”mentality. Nipun is also the founder of ServiceSpace.org, a nonprofit that works at the intersection of the gift-economy, technology and volunteerism.  His popular TED talk “Designing for Generosity” provides an overview of their work and guiding principles.

You might also enjoy reading an edited transcript of a Baccalaureate address he gave to the 2012 graduating class at the University of Pennsylvania. If you know any graduating seniors, you might want to pass it along to them. It might serve them well on their coming life adventure.

This is new and old paradigm. New in that the cost of medical care has gone through the roof and yet one doctor remembers his neighbors and community and demonstrates his love and compassion through his low charge. Old in that this was the way it used to be. What an inspiring man. If only other doctors would take his lead and offer their services at rates people could afford, doctors, patients and the country would all be a lot better off.

–by Bob Dotson, Original Story, May 11, 2012

Charging the price of a fancy cup of coffee, Dr. Russell Dohner has cared for Rushville, an Illinois town of 4,300 people, for more than half a century, delivering 3,500 babies, and never taking a vacation — or even an entire day off.

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Let this video inspire you to act in a kind way to someone who shows up in your life today…

Video from KarmaTube

From Karmatube.org

What would the world look like if we designed for generosity? Instead of assuming that people want to simply maximize self-interest, what if our institutions and organizations catered to our deeper motivations? This compelling TEDx talk explores this question and introduces the concept of Giftivism: the practice of radically generous acts that change the world. The video is charged with stories of such acts, ranging from: the largest peaceful transfer of land in human history, to a pay-it-forward restaurant, to a 10-year-old’s unconventional birthday celebration, and the stunning interaction between a victim and his teenage mugger. With clarity and insight, it details the common threads that runs through all these gift manifestations, and invites us to participate through everyday acts of kindness — in an uplifting global movement.