Since June we have produced a series of supplements under the "Saab Question Everything" umbrella, celebrating the kind of independent, innovative thinking with which both Saab and The Independent – and you, our readers – are associated.
We've aimed to inform, explore different points of view and provoke debate, encouraging our famously intelligent and creative readers to share their views.
Thank you to all of you who voted for your favourite article from the three winners' submissions from each edition of the Saab Question Everything Series.
The overall winning Independent Thinker as voted for by you is Jonathan Yee, with his article Positive energy – The Way Ahead. Jonathan is British-born Chinese, and lives in London where he works in finance. He is a keen traveller and hopes to visit all visit all seven continents one day!
Michael Brady was chosen at random from all those who voted for their favourite article and wins an iPod nano.
Modern visionaries
The minute the word "visionary" is mentioned, some interesting assumptions tend to come up. Current lists of 20th century visionaries include many political leaders such as Gandhi or Mandela, not to mention ecologists and even economists; there are, notably, no musicians or artists. Most seem to be altruistic to a degree, concerned for the poor, the underprivileged, the planet.
Positive energy
As the leaders of the world agonise over the current economic crisis, one message is becoming increasingly clear: in order to overcome a crisis, we must all work in united and co-ordinated way. This message could be applied to any crisis, and not least to the world's mounting energy problems.
Yes, we can!
When I read my brief for this article, I laughed. I had only recently been chatting with a friend about the whole "positive thinking" thing, about how we both think that much of it is just a money-making fad. And then here I was being asked to write an article about whether or not positive thinking could solve the world's problems. What could I do? Well, be positive of course.
Discover the inspiration behind these and all our reader contributions by catching up on the previous three issues of the Saab Question Everything Series – "Triumph Through Adversity", "Biofuels" and "Visionaries" – below.
A breath of fresh air
Saab's new 9-X Air turns conventional thinking about convertibles on its head. Rebecca Wright looks at a car for independent-minded motorists. Read More...