Ideas

I really like this idea. I think that it could be geared as a Good News site that good be syndicated online. You could market that this was a news site the focused on good things that happen and not the rest of the crap that's happening in the world. I'd be surprised if it hasn't been done, but the crazier the world becomes the more popular a site like this could be. Plus, the tools are in place now to distribute video, podcasts, or news like this online quite easy.

Techguy's idea of having this as a Good News site syndicated online is worth considering. However I feel the site should go beyond mere newscasting and should therefore also be actively involved in the public felicitation and honoring of outstanding deeds of heroism by the common man.

As mankind marches on towards material progress it becomes all the more essential to periodically re-affirm the importance of human values, particularly since this alone is perhaps what will ultimately distinguish us humans from the robots and humanoids of the future!

When I lived in Taiwan and visited a Buddhist monastery, they had a newspaper with only Good News. I was shocked, coming from the 'if it bleeds, it leads' mentality. It may be our society is so desensitized to violence, that these kind acts have more shock value than ever before.

FOX NEWS!?! Anyhoo, yes there's tons of sources for finding hero type individuals worthy of pointing out. I'm not sure how it would feel to be pitting one against the other (even if the actual people are not competing directly). I news aggregation on "Hero" stories working, but a contest is weird because you're pushing the sort of acclimation and promotion on people that one would assume (and hope) aren't looking for that kind of thing.

Aside from ranking them and pitting their heroism against each other... aside form aggregating stories as a "good news" meta news site, what other angles could be employed?

OR MAYBE the sheer crassness of "competing" these good people's deeds against each other would be a selling point. Like "humanitarian Billy Bob who saved a minicar full of children from driving off a bridge suffered a SMACKDOWN today, being SOUNDLY DEFEATED by the Tim who pushed an elderly lady out of the way of a train... sucks to be you Billy Bob. Next time try saving a bigger vehicle full of children, and you'll have a shot at the title!"

I'm thinking WWF meets daytime television... everything over the top, crass and you can't stop watching.

Like some news channels. (Burn!) (But I am voting for this idea so its not 100% burn.)

and then we could sell the site to chicken soup for the soul - do you know how many books they sell a year? unbelievable!

With reference to Gordon McDowell's post of the 6th Feb I want to point out that it was never my intention to 'pit one(hero)against another' but only to accord recognition to those stories which touch our hearts the most. That too is the reason why I had suggested we pick about a half a dozen or so of the most popular choices for the annual public felicitation - and these are not being classed as 1st, 2nd, 3rd and so on but merely those ones that have appealed most to the CH readers. These numbers could of course be increased further too if funds permit!

I'm glad Gordon raised this point so that this could be clarified unambiguously in case my initial write-up had led to some misinterpretation.

Yeah, i believe the world really need this. I can imagine tens of thousands of primary or secondary school teachers worldwide will require their students to visit the site and do a report on the top three stories they most like and explain why. Could be a super impact to the value formation of kids globally. Hopefully the project will also contribute immensely to the triumph of good vs. evil in the cyberspace amidst the issues like cyber pornography,etc.

Christine, vide her post of Feb 06, has made an interesting suggestion of selling the site to 'chicken soup for the soul'. However this should not be allowed to jeopardize the suggested annual public felicitations of the chosen heroes. Perhaps the proceedings of each year could be separately sold, on a year to year basis, but only after the culmination of the annual public felicitations. I suppose this would mean some sort of partnership between Cambrian House and 'Chicken soup for the soul', and this could perhaps be of benefit to all concerned.

Thanks Cycko,

I hadn't really thought about this angle, but you are quite right - this site would definitely appeal to teachers, and through them to their students too!

I think it would be too presumptious to assume that this alone would lead to the 'triumph of good over evil', but yes, it would certainly help foster and promote good values in our societies.

Krishan, I thought I saw a slight angle of competition and tried expanding on that. But I appreciate that is not what your idea is about.

Excellant!!!