May 3, 2007 | Read Time: 2 minutes
NEW BOOKS
Me to We: Finding Meaning in a Material World
by Craig Kielburger and Marc Kielburger
Craig and Marc Kielburger, brothers who each founded charities, describe what they call the “me to we” movement — an effort to encourage a greater emphasis on volunteerism, social-change efforts, and community involvement.
“In exploring the impact of the Me mentality that underlies our culture, the consumerism, the pursuit of wealth, and the ruthless individualism it breeds,” they write, “we have come to see that these preoccupations lead us away from the stuff of fulfilling happiness and deeper success: family, friends, community, and service.”
They have gathered essays from 13 prominent activists, nonprofit leaders, philanthropists, and others, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Jane Goodall, Queen Noor of Jordan, and Oprah Winfrey, about their personal experiences working for others.
Craig Kielburger is the chairman of the children’s-rights charity Free the Children, which he founded in 1995 at the age of 12. Four years later, he co-founded the youth-development group Leaders Today with his older brother, Marc, who now serves as chief executive director of both organizations.
The brothers discuss their travels around the world — including Africa, South America, and Asia — as they began their nonprofit careers, how they formed the idea of the “me to we” philosophy, and how readers can learn to focus on the collective good rather than personal gain.
Each chapter concludes with a set of questions to provoke thought, a description of social issues like education or women’s rights, and practical suggestions for becoming more community-oriented.
“We have come to understand that the urge to reach out to others is grounded in the best of what makes us human: an innate need for connection that we must fulfill in order to reach our full potential,” the authors write.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, N.Y. 10020; (800) 331-6531; fax (800) 943-9831; http://www.simonsays.com; 308 pages; $23; ISBN 0-7432-9831-4.
