The shoulders of giants

Quotes are a fascinating tool. On one hand you might be 'standing on the shoulders of giants'. On the other you might simply be parroting material mindlessly or out of context.

Memes are the new quotes (you can quote me on that). How many people are running about quoting Chicken Little...I mean Al Gore. The sky is falling..the sky is falling! I know, because I saw the movie (and it won an Academy Award). Other than the title there are no real quotable quotes.

I recently came across a website with great intentions. B Corporation who claim:

"Higher purpose. Higher standards of accountability, transparency, and performance. Meet the Founding B Corporations who are setting the new corporate standard for social and environmental performance. These leaders have created profitable, competitive businesses while taking care of their employees, community, and environment."

All good. But they kind of bug me my appropriating a quote that - in a curious way - belongs to us all; you'll probably recognise it:

"We must be the change we seek in the world" M Ghandi

B Corporation use the tag:

"The Change We Seek" adding TM in superscript.

As green issues become good business I think it is important not to become cynical. It is an ideal, not a compromise. To me B Corporation compromises themselves by taking the long dead Ghandi as their spokesperson (obviously without his consent).

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