Making the impossible, possible

Last night at the Berkman Center for Law & Society at Harvard University, model turned innovator Lily Cole, introduced her latest venture “Impossible.” Impossible is a new social media platform with a simple goal and huge potential: to make wishes come true.

The website aims to create a community of people that can guide and give to one another. For free.

Need a photographer? Want to learn Spanish? Looking for a local perspective in a new city? Hoping to talk a problem out? Need someone to shovel your driveway (yep, this is an event in Boston after all)? Wish for it on Impossible.

Cole’s concept stems from the idea that we receive personal reward when we give and help others.  On Impossible, you pay for your wish with gratitude and appreciation. While Impossible has roots in a sharing and gift economy, it’s foundation is a feel good one.  Warm and fuzzies is its currency; altruism is its bank.

And while the panel (who included Jonathan Zittrain, Tim Berners-Lee (the inventor of the World Wide Web), Judith Donath & Rosemary Leith) raised concerns of trolls and coercion, the consensus is you can kill with kindness (Zittrain points out how Wikipedia handles its trolls by thanking them).
Cole’s eloquence, commitment and enthusiasm is inspiring and the project is without a doubt, impressive.

Optimists can sign up at http://www.impossible.com.

I just created my account and I’ll happily help shovel your driveway.
Mission possible.
impossibleprofile

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