An inspiring post by Cam on The Age “Startup Stories” blog:

Here’s something I really believe - the human race needs all hands on deck right now. Take a look around you at the politicians and corporate leaders and ask yourself these questions: “Are these the best people to be running things? Do you feel comfortable with the knowledge that the future of the human race, of all life on this planet, is in their hands?”

We need you to get off the bench. Stop waiting for someone to tap you on the shoulder and tell you that it is your time. It isn’t going to happen. You need to get off the bench and start using your time, your intelligence, your energy, your ideas, to make the world a better place.

I have this motto - if you have the ability to make the world a better place, and you choose not to use that ability, then you aren’t much better than the people who are deliberately messing the place up.

Okay, I know it isn’t the most succinct of mottoes, but hey, it’s my first one. I’ll get better as I go along.

Read the rest of it.

I can’t say I’m going to go quit my job (not even for six months), but it does remind me of why I do the extra-curricular stuff I do, and why I’m always on the lookout to learn new things and try and make a difference.