Too often today, the only narratives that matter are personal ones, and many have seen a widening gulf between their individual hopes and dreams and those of the world around them. Too often, as well, people feel like powerless observers of forces and trends they cannot control. The rekindling of social imagination is one aspect of taking back

Efficacy is always a problem of perception. People will undertake actions, even deeply demanding actions, if they are persuaded their participation can make a difference. The challenge for organizers of social movements is to create a range of actions, from thin to thick, that let participants feel they’re making effective change.

We often discuss issues such as pollution, poverty, or corruption from a global perspective; yet we fail to consider them locally—in our city, neighborhood, or even family. We’re thus trained to be irresponsible: the more we think and talk about problems we can’t control—the more virtuous we feel but—the more we neglect the problems which are in