There are many famous thinking in the world. The two I chose to write about are Helen Keller and Bill Gates. They have their similarities as well as differences. Their accomplishments and contributions to society have changed the way we live our lives today. Their creative styles have set them apart from their competitors and given them an edge that lets them stand apart from the rest of the creative thinkers of the world. Bill Gates is a self-made multi-billionaire, while Helen Keller lived a more modest life.
Although Helen did not develop and manufacture a product, she was instrumental in showing the world that a deaf-blind person could be a functioning asset to society. She was an author of 14 books; her first was of her life story. Her goal in life was to enhance the lives of those with disabilities. Bill Gates primary goal was to further and support education and health in low-income communities around the country. Bill and Helen were from different eras, times of the world, but they fought to solve a similar problem – educating the uneducated. Helen Keller was a woman of many talents; among her accomplishments, she wrote her first book in 1902, over her lifetime she wrote 14 books.
She attended and graduated from Radcliff with a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude, a pacifists, activists, socialist, and advocate for many causes. She worked tirelessly for what she believed in and wanted to make a difference in the world. She did not let her disability slow her down. She was an inspiration to those who met her and she strived to live a productive, quality life and a contributor to her community. Self made multi-billionaire, entrepreneur and philanthropist Bill Gates was born in Seattle, Washington in 1955. We recognize the name Bill Gates; it is hard not to be famous when you are the richest self-made man in America.
The contributions to society made by Mr. Gates are numerous, but most notable and arguably his best is his company Microsoft. American computer entrepreneur, in 1975 he co-founded Microsoft, a private company for the manufacture and sale of computer software (Gates, 2013). Bill Gates knew that his money could help the rest of society as his mother had done as a civic leader. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation were formed in 2000. The primary goal was to further the support of education and health in low-income communities around the country. In 2006, he stepped down at Microsoft to dedicate to the foundation full time. Bill Gates has donated $28 billion dollars to charity to support the cause (Gates, 2013)
Helen Keller made many contributions to society as a founding member of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind. It is the first agency to offer high quality rehabilitation and social services to blind individuals who wish to lead an independent life and a contributor to their community. She was successful in urging the Lions Club in becoming “knights for the blind,” which they continue to do even today (Perkins School for the Blind, 2013). Helen understood the suffering of the blind and deaf-blind, because of her first hand knowledge of being a deaf-blind from the age of 18 months.
Helen boundless dedication to establish rights, such as education and employment for the blind and deaf-blind which were noticed in 1964 when President Lyndon B Johnson (Perkins School for the Blind, 2013) gave her the Presidential Medal of Freedom award. Helen Keller was a multi-faceted person. As a pacifist, she made her views known as she protested the involvement of the United States in World War I. As a socialist, she fought tirelessly for workers rights and became a member of the American Civil Liberties Union.
She was an advocate for the women’s suffrage movement (American Foundation for the Blind, 2013). She earned her place in history for her continued advocacy and fearless activism. Helen was an outspoken and inspirational woman. These accomplishments and personal characteristics helped shape her creativity allowing her to look past her impairments and find solutions. She opened the doors that afforded many opportunities for people with disabilities (Bush, 2001).
Helen Keller sought to change the world, improve the conditions for people with vision loss, and give them the same opportunities of success. Helen attended and graduated from Radcliff, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude in 1904 (Leiber, 1996). Education was of extreme importance; she knew the challenged she and others faced to live a quality life and a contributing member of society. Helen was instrumental in establishing the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind. This was the first agency to provide services to adults who were blind.
Although many of their services and programs were not available during her lifetime, she was and still is one of the driving forces behind their existence. Today their programs include vocational rehabilitation, independent living social services, assistive technology for the blind program are only a few of what they have to offer (Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, 2013). Helen Keller’s creative process consisted of more than one phase. She was not afraid to search for challenges, express the problems and issues she encountered, and produce ideas to enhance her ideas to bring them to reality.
She was innovative in her way of thinking and looked at the problems and issues she encountered from different perspectives. She kept an open mind when faced with adversity, which allowed her thoughts to creatively flow. Helen Keller was an innovative and creative thinker. She looked to make the world an easier place of existence for people with disabilities, especially those who are blind or deaf-blind. She was
References
American Foundation for the Blind. (2013). Helen Keller Biography and Chronology. Retrieved from http://www.afb.org’section.aspx?FolderID=1;SectionID=1;TopicID=129 Bush, E. (2001). Helen Keller: Rebellious Spirit. Bulletin of the center for children’s books, 55(1), 24. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/printviewfile?accountid=458 Gates, B. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved from http://222.biography.com/people/bill-gates-9307520 Leiber, J. (1996, December). Helen Keller as Cognitive Scientist. Philosophical Psychology, 9(4), 419. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/login/aspx?direct=true;db=a9h;AN=9703182972;site=ehost-live Massachusetts Commission for the Blind. (2013). Health and Human Services. Retrieved from http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/mcb Perkins School for the Blind. (2013). Helen Keller Facts. Retrieved from http://www.perkins.org/news-events/news/helen-keller-facts.html?print=t
