How Economic Growth Affects Society

How economic growth affects society

Economic Growth:

Changes in social structures occurring during the process of economic growth can be considered direct consequences of this process, while others are caused by non direct factors 

Impact:

i. Poverty

The impact of economic growth on poverty have been documented even though the relationship is not direct. In some cases it can be positive, while it can be negative for others.

ii. Population

Economic growth does impact population. As the economy grows, and societies become more able to physically support excess population. However, population growth has declined because in most primitive societies, an additional child is another source of labor when the parents cannot provide for themselves. This is the case in most primitive societies, where the parents who do not have many children cannot expect to have someone to support them when they grow old. 

These experiences hold important lessons for Africa, development's last major frontier. By drawing on these examples, as well as Africa's own success stories, and by recognizing the link between demography and economic development, African leaders  can devise economic development strategies that has an important role to population policies that include strong reproductive health and family planning programmes.

Chan Ling Han 

2E

Presentation Slides on Fengle Ecological Park & Xidi and Hongcun Ancient Villages

"Derek Sivers: How to start a movement"

In the Video, Derek Sivers uses humorous footage to explain how a movement really gets started, exploring the significance not only of leaders, but of those who have the courage to follow. Sivers’s choice of this example suggests that leadership happens all the time in all kinds of everyday situations.

I think that a leader should be one that embraces the followers, have a sense of community and also, be confident in what he is doing. For example, the leader in the video, the dancing guy, needs to feel confident that others will join in dancing with them, that they are a part of a growing group and can learn and teach within that group.

Leaders are not the only people that are involved in a movement. The followers are an important part in the movement too. Particularly, the first follower plays an important role in making a movement. As there can only be a few leaders, someone has to be the first follower. This will "inspire" more followers to join and this action will eventually lead a movement. The first follower must also be confident and brave enough to join the movement, and not to be afraid of being called "two lone nuts". Therefore, we should learn to have the courage to follow, and "inspire" others to follow too. 

"A leader needs the guts to stand alone and look ridiculous. But what he’s doing is so simple, it’s almost instructional. This is key. You must be easy to follow!"

A leader must be brave and confident enough to start a movement, he should not be afraid to be called a "lone nut", and this will eventually encourage people to join in whatever he is doing.

The first follower transforms a lone nut into a leader.

The first follower plays an important role in encouraging more people to join in whatever the leader is doing, and this will all lead to starting a movement. The first follower must also be courageous enough to join the movement, to be different from the crowd.

-Chan Ling Han(2)

 2E

5bonacci' 2014 ✋

 

"Derek Sivers: How to start a movement" reflection

What is a leader? A leader is someone with the guts to go out there, to stand out, and to be ridiculed. In the video shown, the 'leader' looks like a lunatic dancing crazily by himself. However, since his actions were so simple and almost instructional, it allows followers to rapidly learn and act. He also treats his followers (especially the first few) as equals, not as inferior people who just copied what he did. This, in turn encourages more followers. 

Also, it seems like the first guy did all the work and should hold all the credit for starting this movement, it is actually his first follower that helped him start his movement. We cannot all be leaders, as someone has to step up ands be the first follower. This 'generates' more followers and the action eventually becomes a movement. Therefore, we must have the courage to follow, and show others how to follow.

To start a movement, i also believe that the leader has to believe and love what he is doing. If he does not love and believe in what he is starting, i believe no one would be convinced enough to follow. Like the leader in this video, he was dancing hardly and does not care about other people's views. When no one joined him for the first few moments, he did not stop, he was not dejected. He carried on and did whatever he believes in doing, which might have been the reason he even had a follower.

"The first follower transforms a lone nut into a leader." Therefore, when we see something are supportive of, we should never be too afraid to step up, to be the first to follow.

Zheng Boya

2E

"Derek Sivers: How to start a movement" Reflection

After watching the video, I realised that the important thing about being a leader is being easy to follow. In the video, the leader is dancing on his own, and looks like he is crazy. But what he's doing is so simple, it's almost instructional. 

As a leader, one needs to embrace his first follower as an equal, and not someone inferior to him. The first follower also plays an important role. In the video, the leader embraces his follower as an equal. It is not about the leader anymore - it's about them, plural.  Being a first follower is an under-appreciated form of leadership. The first follower transforms a lone nut into a leader. If the leader is the flint, the first follower is the spark that makes the fire.

Followers are what make a movement. After the few follower, more people will join in. What makes the people want to join in is that the leader must be easy to follow and treats everyone as an equal. He does not care about himself, but more about what he is trying to do. 

The first follower is also considered as a leader. He is what makes a lone nut a leader. He demonstrates that what the leader is doing is simple enough, the appearance of the first follower encourages more people to join it and have fin together. This is what sparks a movement.

--Jia Rong

"Derek Sivers: How to start a movement" Reflection

In the Video, Derek Sivers uses humorous footage to explain how a movement really gets started, exploring the significance not only of leaders, but of those who have the courage to follow. This video offers an opportunity to discuss leadership and risk, the glorification of leadership, the validity of the belief that “everyone can lead,” and the transformative power of followers in both large and small-scale movements.

To me, a true leader is one that knows how to follow.

When a leader is starting something they cannot know what the people are going to do or what the people will let them accomplish. The best leader is aware of his incredible dependence upon his followers. The real power a leader has is that of his followers. A leader’s power stems directly from the commitment and focus of his followers. If a leader is without followers he is just another man.

Your followers are your power.

And so, Mr. Sivers says that your first few followers are your most valuable allies. You must nurture and encourage them so that they can slowly increase your base of people. The more people you have a positive impact on, the more people they can tell about you.

However! When a leader recognizes that the people are not following him but what he stands for, then he will have achieved a position that few in the past have achieved. And if he/she does so, then the movement takes on a whole new aura. If you think about it, would you be more willing to follow someone who is famous and knows that everyone worships him? Or a person who is famous and yet, believes that people follow him because of what he stands for? Selflessness is such an attractive quality that often it can override less appealing qualities. Mr. Sivers’ talk is not about leaders however; it is about how to start a movement. And in a movement, the leader should actually want to get lost in the movement.

To start a movement, you must love it.

This type of innocent enrapture with the movement or whatever it is you love, allows the followers you gain to be of a true and absolute type.

-Jia Xuan (15)

2E

"Derek Sivers: How to start a movement" Reflection

I think followership is important because it shows that you are willing to adapt. If everyone insisted on being leaders all of the time, a majority of the things that we have today would have never been created. Followership shows that you can connect with others and are willing to support others. Like Mercedes said, I think followership also takes a good deal of humility. Being a follower is allowing someone else to make major decisions and often take a good deal of the credit, but being willing to follow and give support because it is something you are passionate about, or at least have an interest in.

I think that I would be a better follower if I followed the example of the leader and the first follower who nurtured a sense of equality. As a follower, I sometimes feel a strong need to appoint one person as the leader and define each of our roles. However, the leader in the video welcomed the first follower as his equal and then the first leader motioned to his friends to come join and become their equals as well. I think this is extremely important for me to remember because I either try too hard to define roles or I feel like everyone can’t be treated like equals, but I don’t think that’s entirely true. Or, I can make it my goal to make it true. The next time I think that some people are doing more than others, instead of resenting those that are not doing as much as everyone else, I can find ways for them to be equals and contribute the same as everyone else.

Malvin (27) 2E