"You develop an instant global consciousness, a people orientation, an intense dissatisfaction with the state of the world and a compulsion to do something about it." -- Astronaut Edgar D. Mitchell describing the view of Earth from space.
The internet is loud. Attention is the economy by which we abide.
Sure we all want to do good and make right as a global citizen, but who's got time? You've got like 20 new matches blowing you up on Tinder.
All I'm saying is, pay attention to where you pay attention.
Over the past four months we've been running a social experiment called The Urgency Network, where we leverage "once in a lifetime" experiences in an attempt to break through the noise, and get people to focus on things that matter.
We've gotten to work with some of our biggest heroes like Paul McCartney, Richard Branson, David Lynch and Thom Yorke. We had a campaign with Linkin Park, the biggest band on the internet, and even a spiritual guru known as Ram Dass.
The causes have included transitioning entire island nations to operate on 100 percent renewable energy, blocking oil companies from destroying the arctic and teaching veterans how to cope with PTSD using meditation. For us, it's been an honor to spread these ideas to a wider audience.
But like any small startup, the dilemma we face is in reaching the critical mass necessary to bring about real substantive change.
Unlike the major record label that can pay for Lady Gaga's latest track to be blasted into every earhole in America, we still can't buy our way into the public consciousness. We have to earn it.
And, no matter how cool we think it is to give someone the opportunity to hang out with a Beatle, the reality is we've still struggled to rise above the flood of baby photos and self-promotion that clog our news feeds. The flares need to go higher.
With this in mind, we decided to take a leap of faith and follow through with the idea that got us excited to create this company to begin with -- sending people to space.
This #GivingTuesday (aka December 3rd), we're launching the Ticket to Rise campaign. Over three months, we'll send another person to space for every $1 million that's raised.
Twenty-five leading nonprofits, along with their most influential supporters, will all be leveraging these tickets to space as a means for fundraising.
For the first time in history, you can make a small contribution to a cause of your choice and have a shot at being blasted into orbit.
Let's look to re-align the cultural narratives we promote this #GivingTuesday, as we turn an otherworldly experience into a spotlight for some of this planet's most important causes.
It won't be long now. See you in space.
To get involved, email: space@urgencynetwork.com and visit here