ABSTRACT
“Then she began to tell me a story about an old man who is walking along a beach at low tide, picking up starfish drying in the sun and gently throwing them back into the ocean. He has been doing this for some time when a jogger overtakes him and asks him what he is doing. The old man explains that the starfish will die in the sun and so he is throwing them back into the ocean. Astounded, the young man begins to laugh: ‘Why, old fellow, don’t waste your time. Can’t you see there are hundreds and hundreds of starfish on this beach? And thousands of beaches in this world? And another low tide tomorrow? What makes you think you can make a difference?’ And still laughing, he runs on down the beach.
