John was a quiet, unique kid who often felt like
he didn’t fit in. He struggled
academically in middle school, not because he wasn’t smart, but because feeling
like an outcast occupied more of his attention than his studies did. He was intelligent and enjoyed learning, but
often fell behind and failed to complete his work. To make matters worse, he was frequently
bullied.
When high school started, things weren’t getting
much better. At last, John had a moment
of significant self-awareness. He
recognized the troubling direction his life was taking, and so, in a desperate
move to change things, he asked his parents to send him away to boarding school
in another state. John felt like he
needed a fresh start to get his future on track, and his parents were
supportive.
The new environment altered the course of John’s
life. He felt more welcome, which freed
him to be himself. He was well-liked,
and began spending time with a group of fellow students who read and debated
poetry and philosophy. The experience
made a lasting impression on John, creating a belief in him that, no matter how
isolated and alone someone might feel, their ideal community was out there
somewhere.
John graduated from college with a double major
in English and Religious Studies. For a
short time, he planned to become a priest, even going so far as to enroll in
Divinity School while working as a student chaplain in a children's hospital. However, the experience of working with
children suffering from life-threatening illnesses inspired him to change
directions, and John decided to become an author of young adult stories
instead.
Within a few years, John completed his first
novel, a school story based partly on his own life. His firsthand experience with bullying and
feeling like an outsider shaped his ability to connect with young people, and he
recognized that feeling lost and experiencing pain are difficult but meaningful
parts of maturing. The novel was
published in 2005, and it was recognized as the year’s best book written for
teens by the American Library Association.
John Green balances being an adult with still
being able to empathize with the challenges of adolescence. This sense of understanding infuses each of
his books, and has helped elevate him to international recognition as a young
adult author. His most recent novel, The Fault in Our Stars, is an homage to
the time he spent working in the children’s hospital. Its tragic tale of love and the search for
meaning in the face of mortality has far more to say to young readers than many
other books in the YA genre.
John’s affinity for connecting has also played a
significant role in sparking humanitarian efforts. In 2007, John and his brother Hank started a
YouTube video correspondence in order to keep in better touch, since they were
on other sides of the country. By
posting the videos in a public forum, they were able to build a community of
followers who enjoyed and identified with what the brothers had to say. This led to their creation of the Foundation
to Decrease WorldSuck. The name was a
bit of a joke, but their efforts are real.
Each year, the Foundation sponsors a charity
event called the Project for Awesome, in which the brothers mobilize their
massive YouTube following of over a million subscribers to create innovative
videos promoting their favorite charities, with the aim of gaining awareness
and donations for them. In 2013,
$869,591 was raised by the Greens’ Project for Awesome.
It’s easy to think about the problems of the
world and assume that they’re too big for us to do anything about. But if everyone thought that way, nothing
would ever be done. We Are Connected is
about recognizing that we’re all in this together, and doing something,
anything, to help will only make the world better for each of us. Who would guess that a series of teen novels
and weekly video conversations between two brothers would create an army of
devotees ready to put their time and energy toward supporting causes they
believe in? You don’t have to be a
full-time philanthropist or humanitarian in order to make a difference. But don’t be surprised if just doing what you
do well helps make the world a better place along the way.
Until Next Week,
No comments:
Post a Comment