Wanted: rebels with a cause (as well as web designers, developers, writers, artists and more)

Reading an article about Michael D. Eisner in the New York Times got me thinking. He left Disney in 2005 and started up a business in new media. I want to do something similar.

One of my greatest passions is that for social justice. Call me naïve, but I just don’t get why things aren’t more equitable in the world. Take Ireland for example. If I’m not mistaken, there are more millionaires here per capita than in the rest of the world. But there are so many really poor people. There are lots of places, especially in rural areas where people don’t yet have indoor toilets. There are also huge social issues in inner city areas like North Dublin and Limerick.

Closer to my heart is the plight of a lot of the African continent. Contrary to public opinion, your typical African dictator is probably no more corrupt than your average Western leader. He just lacks finesse in his dealings and his country doesn’t have the infrastructure or money to support the same levels of self-centred greed that are displayed by a good number of Western leaders.

In any case, I don’t just want to be a person who complains and criticises the way things are. I want to change them. And in my opinion, the best way to effect real change is by mobilising everyday, ordinary people. Again, in my opinion, the best way to do that is through the media. When I was young, I decided what clothes were cool to wear based on what I saw on TV. I would like to claim that now that I’m an adult, I make my own mind. The reality though is that most of us still take our cues from the media – be it mainstream or alternative.

With all that in mind, I want to start a web based business at whose core is the desire to see social justice. I think that initially it should take the form of magazine – or something similar to bring about awareness, and then grow out of that.

Where I come from, if you wait on the government to change or fix things, you typically wait a very long time; more often than not in vain. That and I want to see things change.

If you would like to get involved, get in touch. I’m especially looking for:

·         Artist and photographers

·         Writes

·         Web designers and developers

·         Software guys

·         People who are genuinely excited and passionate about doing the things I’ve just written about