We may not be big, but we’re small.

“We may not be big, but we’re small” is the slogan of a fictional independent record store called the Vinyl Café… The Vinyl Café is also the name of a very popular Canadian radio show. I love the slogan because I think it’s a good approach to doing good in this world. It’s a view of life not based on wealth or status but on the value of connection and serving people well.

Years ago while living in Indonesia a friend recommended I read the book “Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered” by E.F. Schumacher. It’s a book about development theory that argued that small-scale appropriate technology could be more empowering to poor communities than large-scale projects that are not often sustainable. Originally written in 1973 this book remains a classic in development studies. I would recommend it if you have an interest in making the world a better place through development.

In a world with big problems I find the reminder of the value of small human scale approaches to development as a great encouragement to me. Solving global problems starts with solving local problems. There is value in doing small things well an you don’t have to be big to have a big impact.