Carola MB Matarazzo, executive director of MBM, recommends works that made a difference in her education and may impact you as well!
Reading, in itself, is already a form of therapy. When this habit is combined with motivational and enjoyable themes that nourish thought and broaden horizons, the activity can become a true source of inspiration and action.
Amidst so many options that lead us to reflect on our role in society, the MBM blog invited Carola MB Matarazzo, our executive director, to recommend 5 books to inspire social leaders on this challenging journey towards a more supportive and just world.
The selection addresses themes such as overcoming indifference, social intelligence, altruism in human history, the moral limits of the market, and conflict resolution. Check out the list below and enjoy your reading!
The Decision the World Needs
by Celso Grecco
Anyone who reads the book "The Decision the World Needs" will certainly feel much more motivated to build a better future for everyone. Celso Grecco presents, with cases and examples, seven paths for people to abandon indifference and start acting towards a great transformation. It is important to emphasize that fighting for a better world and investing in this change is not an action for superheroes, angels, or billionaire philanthropists. Anyone can become aware, step outside their bubble, and connect to a current of good. As Grecco very well points out, there is an interdependence between people within society, and a collective effort is needed to face the complexities of socio-environmental problems together.
Social Intelligence – The Perspective of a World Without Hunger(s)
by Luciana Chinaglia Quintão
The author of this work, Luciana Chinaglia Quintão, is the president of Banco de Alimentos, a civil society organization that assists those facing food insecurity. However, when she speaks in the book of "a world without hunger(s)," she is not referring to a person's lack of access to food, but to deprivations in various forms, such as the 'hunger' for justice, education, and housing. Luciana presents a comprehensive and systemic view of social intelligence and discusses hunger in Brazilian history, highlighting that the problem is not caused solely by economic issues, but also by a lack of social intelligence in the country.
Humanity: An Optimistic History of Man
by Rutger Bregman
Are human beings truly evil by nature? Dutch historian Rutger Bregman argues that they are not. The result of seven years of work at an international journalism website, he studied the subject and produced this work that prompts us to think about the characteristics and behaviors of humankind throughout history. His arguments and the facts described help us identify how much generosity, kindness, and collaboration have been and are present in humanity. Altruism is seen not as merely an optimistic issue for our future, but as a realistic one. The book is a great invitation to think about the good side of humankind and serves as an incentive for us to act in a supportive way in our society.
What Money Can't Buy
by Michael J. Sandel
In this book, the American philosopher and professor Michael Sandel critiques contemporary consumer society. He argues that the logic of buying and selling has transcended material goods and increasingly governs people's lives. Instead of a 'market economy,' a kind of 'market society' prevails. Sandel cites cases where money is strangely prioritized, such as a school in the United States that opted to pay students to read books instead of encouraging the habit as a source of pleasure. In a world where money reigns, the problem of social inequality also intensifies. Since almost everything can be bought, what happens to those who lack economic power?
Power & Love: Theory and Practice of Social Change
by Adam Kahane
"Power & Love: Theory and Practice of Social Change" was written by Canadian Adam Kahane, a conflict resolution expert who works with civil society organizations, businesses, and governments on challenges such as peace processes. In this book, Kahane highlights that solving highly complex problems requires reconciling two seemingly disconnected but complementary impulses: 'power' and 'love'. It's important to note that in the book he discusses 'power' as a desire to achieve a purpose and refers to 'love' as a desire to unite with another. Kahane recounts how he learned, through trial and error, to balance these two impulses and presents various successful programs implemented in different parts of the world.
Did you enjoy the recommendations? Share them with others who are also interested in this type of reading and spread the inspiration!
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