The world is always changing. New technologies and new opportunities always arise alongside new troubles and problems. Novelty and stress are two permanent characters in life's theatre although they change their clothes regularly. It's always a good time to learn new skills and take on new challenges, even if the challenge is to rest for a few days. If that feels like a challenge to you then you probably need it. Quality leaders are quite rare in today's society. I can't say for previous times. There are unique qualities that we all look for when considering who we choose to turn to.


Certain things in human behaviour are necessary for leaders to establish themselves. Oppression doesn't work and that's a good thing. Leaders do not rule, they lead. And that requires consent. If a leader walks forward, the crowd walks forward of their own volition. It is often the case that leaders do not ask to be in charge, people just follow them because of their natural leadership behaviour.


Here are some factors that really matter, and will still matter even if computers take over the world.


Creativity


Abstract thought and the ability to create linear thought from it is what gives us new things. Linear thought is a process of stages, we can only change one at a time. Abstract thought is a process of observation and description. This gives us a much higher mental resolution of a situation and an eye for detail. Creative leadership is an essential skill and tool for handling groups of people who are looking for subtle or not so subtle guidance.  Big data computers can look at lots of facts in one go but it's not abstract, it's all unitary information. A grain of sand can be a universe once we stop looking at it with linear thought.


Trustworthy


We put our faith in leaders. We trust that they are leading us in the right direction. It's impossible to trust people who do not demonstrate trustworthiness. How can we show that we are trustworthy? It's a matter of example. Always be prepared to answer truthfully and speak without hiding various truths. If it's a trade secret then say so, if it's private information then say no, it's private. Being up-front with people and honest about your well-meaning objectives will gradually earn the trust you deserve. The moment you behave in a way that people do not trust with their own reputation, they will no longer want to follow your example.


Respect


We all come from different backgrounds and homes. Our parents got emotional about different things. They all taught us to live life in different ways. When we all meet this can be an issue if it's not respected. It takes a leadership mentality to allow for cultural differences. It's easy to feel the need to judge when we're shocked by a strange behaviour or ideal. We may have heard things about it before. The respect we all deserve becomes essential when this happens. Other people will feel comfortable with you if you show respect in situations where others may have been rude or judgemental. It's fine to ask questions and demonstrate an uneasiness, but remember we are all human and have different ways of doing things. It is better to judge oneself an one's own society than to sniff at the actions of another's.

So it's a strange time for us all, many of us are locked away at home with only minimal human contact. For some this is normal, for others it's a real strain. Having children at home and not being able to get out to do things can become tedious. Anyone with children knows that the six-weeks holiday is taxing, and this is different because there's very little on for our children to do. Even those without little ones to keep entertained and educated, there will be long days ahead where we struggle to keep our mind away from the doom and gloom. In this time of sudden change and anxiety, Homunculus Media will continue to provide the same quality content it always does. 


This is a comprehensive list of resources and ideas for you, our readers, to make use of. It's not a complete list, by far, however it's hoped these ideas can kick start your positivity in troubling times.


You may already be long-term readers, but if you're not then why not start with us? Alternative Fruit is packed full of music reviews, creativity journalism, soft-skills education, and links to all kinds of great online adventures. You can expect to discover a lot all in one place.


After this site, why not explore The Electro Review? This is a sister site to Alternative Fruit and contains electronic music reviews. It's the opposite of this site in many regards. Where-as here we focus on a wide range of things with one thing in common, creativity, over there we focus on only electronic music. If you like that sort of thing then it's an amazing opportunity to discover new sounds.


The Smithsonian Institute just unveiled a plethora of public domain images. If you fancy a go at digital collage or need something to base an idea on then go ahead and browse. Maybe you're looking for art inspiration, something to put in a story, or you might just be one of those people who loves pictures of random things, like I am.


Google Arts and Culture now have 2500 virtual museum tours for free. Visitors can go online and observe exhibits and explanations from all over the world. Perhaps the smells are missing but the sights and often sounds are available today. How long will it take to do a world museum tour?


Self-isolation can mean self-education. There are loads of online courses out there, many are for free. If it's casual skills and interest from top universities you're looking for then why not look into the Futurelearn website? Their offers are free for well over enough time to complete the material. Certifications are affordable if you want one, too.


If it's qualifications you're looking for then also online holds the key. Rather than forking out thousands for a college classroom and tutor, online learners can pay into a video and web-based learning environment that dramatically cuts cost. It's so viable that real-life qualifications from John Academy in everything from aromatherapy to web-design are available for £10. This is international, folks,


There is a fertile jungle of varied and quality education across the internet and you can find links to a lot of it on our Certified section.


Any musicians among you? Now is your time to get into the groove. Improve, expand, develop, and nurture your talent like never before. There are loads of free resources out there for musicians, and if you want to find specific sheet music then look no further.


Art is always a winner. You'll need materials aplenty. You can still get your online delivery through the post or from Amazon. Use our links on the homepage to those places to help us out. Why not try a new style or medium? It can be your chance to completely evolve your skill-set. You can find all kinds of art-instruction on our Choose Love page.


Podcasts are a great resource. They're online listenables that come in small or medium sized files. Expect a wide variety of them, some of which may not be to your liking. Alternative Fruit has featured a selection of Podcasts in three separate posts which can be found here, here, and here. We aim to get another one up soon, too.  


If it's audiobooks you love then we have our own playlist of them on YouTube. It's a great starting place. For an even bigger collection of curated and quality, free content, why not visit Audiobook Box. If you really want to explore the wealth of audio-literature available then go ahead and sign up for Audible. They have a free trial period so there's nothing to lose. 


​Provided you've enough paper and ink, you can print out thousands of colouring pages that are free to download. There's a great selection here and here. 

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Also, why not browse Open Culture's list of over 1500 free online films? They've got a massive selection perfect for those long days stuck indoors. 

There should be plenty there for everyone! You can of course find plenty more to do with a little imagination. Go ahead and enjoy yourselves, stay safe, and watch out for the vulnerable members of society who are all relying on us now more than ever. 
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People are resistant to change, we're all creatures of habit and it takes extra work to change those habits. Most of the time, we are all too tired to do that extra work. There's enough going on without the need to change. This is why often necessary changes are imposed on us. Think of this recent outbreak of Covid-19. If the authorities in the hardest-hit places were to sit back and let people choose to self-isolate, how many would ignore the advice? There are those who would prefer to put their trust in a shouty bald guy on YouTube rather than leagues of independently trained and independently thinking scientists. In some respects, it's their right to put their trust in who-ever they want however in other respects, there has to be a point where law takes over. We can't just do what we want, it protects us from harm.


This brings us to hard power revolution. This is where force is used to bring about change in society. Hard power is inherently destructive, it ruins lives, often leaves people dead, and it breaks down the routine in favour of a new one. Perhaps there are times when hard power is the only choice, a last resort to put an end to perpetual suffering. More often though, soft power can apply the right changes without doing any harm. Soft power is the art of creating new systems and routines to replace the old which society gladly adopts. This is done through communication, literature, art, music, and philosophy. We know what we want, we know what's right, and if that can be focussed on an idea that works, then it will manifest - with a little help from an innovator.


What do we need to think about when innovating for society? What processes matter to the general population so that our work can be successful? How do we have to think?


Your idea needs to work for one person and a million people with the same results. We all start small, where are you going to stop though? Could it be feasible to implement your idea across the entire world? There are costs, there is labour, there are cultural differences that really matter to people, there is the need to trust other people to do their job to your standard. Can you scale your idea? Would you be able to see this through, will the arithmetic add up, can you handle all that responsibility?


People need to feel connected to your idea. In order for the idea to grow and be adopted, the people involved all have to have a sense of belonging. Can they interact and co-exist with your work? If your idea evolves in the wild, with input from its users, implementers, and its creator as one force, it will be more easily adopted by those involved. Your work belongs to everyone once it starts being used.


Look around you, see what there is an abundance of. Make that your starting point. We all pay dearly for requiring expensive ingredients for our products. The rarer and more sought-after a thing is, the higher its price. We ultimately pass this on to the customer and so only certain people can reach our product. In order for something to be accessible for the general population, it has to be able to make use of abundant things. It has to be affordable.


Talk to other innovators. This can't be just your idea, for something to extend into society as a whole then it has to become something outside of the individual. Of course, your precise product is irreplaceable and unique, no-one can touch it. The thinking behind it though, that belongs to everyone who appreciates your idea. They want to help implement it for the good of those around them. After-all, it was for the good of society in the first place wasn't it?


Be transparent. It's essential that society can see your process, understand what you do and why, and know what their role is. Don't be shy about making money, being good at something, and don't try to keep secrets. Trust is vital for populations to want to associate with you or your work. You need to be able to be there for people to examine until their heart is content. It doesn't feel nice, tough. You're going to have to get used to it.


What is the point of your idea for the user? Is it going to benefit the user in a way that ultimately makes it worthwhile? If your idea benefits society but not the user first-hand then it probably won't take off. People want incentives and they need their own reason. We have to think of both things at once. What does it do for them, what does it do for all. They need not be the same thing, but they can be as well.


Finally, this brings us to the ultimate goal of your idea. What is it actually going to do? Can you sustain it and can it sustain itself in society? How will you merge the doing good for everyone theme with being able to put it to use? What is the ultimate goal of the idea? In what ways does your idea benefit society? Are you sure it will benefit society or are you just guessing based on your own political ideas? These things matter the most because if you implement your process well the result will change the world for good or for worse.

So, a lot of people are stuck indoors at the moment, why not try your hand at online education? Get a new skill in the meantime! Special discount for our readers.