Designing for the Next Billion Seconds¶
Reflections¶
These are some takeaway that I had after the lecture series:
- Design with consciousness, visualize technology as data points instead of an abstract idea of cloud storage. This would make people see the real impact of technology to the earth.
- Take responsibility for innovation and creation. Eg. Headphones: it could be something small but it changed and affected the earth so much. -To me, the future is an illusion / phantom. We are in a delusion that the future and the past are ‘real’ but what we really have is the present moment. I am not suggesting that all we do is live in the moment and enjoy live and turn a blind eye to everything else that is happening, but rather, to see what we can do and give our best living in the present moment, to make conscious decisions through thoughtful evaluation in every second that we have right now. In my opinion, the future is made out of every present decision that we made. Thus, if we are conscious and acknowledge all the consequences when making decisions, as a collective, we could potentially avoid decisions that would lead to a negative future.
- Big cooperatives such as Apple need to pay more attention to the design decisions that they are making, as one small decision can create such huge environmental impacts.
- Design for systemic change not solution.
- Design for multiple futures. This can be done through stimulation of a few possible scenarios.
- The concept of degrowth.
- The paradox is that the more efficiently we use resources, then the more we use those resources. Honourable Harvest: Take only what you need and ask permission from the producer (plant).
Assignment¶
A Day in My Post Technological Life in 2050s¶
I design this series of slides with a couple ideas in mind:
Wisdom is one of the important values that I think humanity needs. With true wisdom, we will not be troubled by sufferings and will be able to make more conscious and impactful decisions that contribute to the whole planetary well being.
I also think that sometimes our hearts are blinded by earthen desires. We never question how they were planted in ourselves, but just accept its existence. Thus, I think it is important to reflect and have the mindspace to reflect and gain clarity of the purpose of everything that we are pursuing.
Assignment Slides
First Draft Letter from your future self¶
Write a first draft of a letter sent by your future-self in the 2050s (handwritten)
Image:
Transcript:
Dear Qian,
This is you in 2050.
There are a couple of things that I want to assure you of.
You are loved and some things take time. Sometimes the wrong train takes us to the right destination. Having 27 years more of living experience, I just wanted to give you some advice to make your life easier:
Keep things simple, be kind and respectful to every living being, and cherish every present moment with your loved ones. Remember your principles and conscience. Keep doing things that make you happy, don’t be afraid to be different and don’t choose to blindly follow the road that seems safe; don’t do things just for the sake of doing it. Follow your heart’s desire and leave no regrets.
It might be hard to believe this, but everything will fall into place like it’s meant to be. Stop seeking, start living. When in doubt, close your eyes and listen to your heart, as you have all the answers and wisdom within. When people are in pain, or hurting others, or being emotionally unstable, or just doing weird things; instead of blaming them, ask what happened to them that makes them behave this way. This will make you empathise with their experience. Remember, we are more alike than different. Even sometimes somebody might have wronged you, deceive you, or you might be in a position where you were being taken advantage of, but trust me, you are always winning with the right state of mind.
Whenever you are in pain or immersed in happiness, remember: This all shall pass.
Take good care of your siblings, parents and family members, as they are the best gift in your life. Remember, you are more capable than you think you are.
切记，为人处事正直善良，好事多做点，做人不怕吃亏，如果吃亏就是赚到的。
勿忘初心，落棋无悔。
Live on!
Love, Qian
01092050
Group Work¶
Opening your (intercitizen) time capsules. Stories that encourage critical hope, intergenerational solidarity and interspecies love, in worlds governed by Honourable Harvest principles, that adopted regrowth.
Conclusion¶
In a nut shell, this seminar has been very eye-opening and it rewire some of my exisiting thinking frame work when designing. After this seminar, I will remind myself to be concious and play my part as a designer when I am involve in any projects. With this, I hope that I can contribute to help create a better version of the future.