A series of events and resulting conversations has led to an insurmountable amount of talk about the social sector, social capital, social innovation, social business, social enterprise, social ventures, social media, social agendas, social good, social change, social design, social this, social that, and just plain ol’ social. It’s all well and good that there is so much talk but I wonder if the popular language of the time may be overshadowing what is really going on at the core.

Agencies like Think Public, Common Ground, and Sidekick Studios are paving the way for a new generation of socially conscious designers. Social innovators like Bruce Mau, Nicholas Albery, John Bielenberg and countless other inspiring minds have been doing good for several decades without a need or desire to labelled.  Ventures like FoodCycle, The Good Gym, and Striding Out! hum along doing what they set out to do without fussing about terminology.

It’s perhaps time to take an expansive view which is simply about improving livelihood. When we look at this movement which is permeating the wider public consciousness and shifting from mere talk to un-coerced collective action, the common bond is evident: shared values and a wider sense of purpose and concern for society.

The difference this time round, is that this renaissance is captured principally in the shift from humanism to altruism.  Moving away from looking within, to looking out – to what could be.  And indeed that has to be a good, if not a great thing.