Richly Imagined Future- The Road To Creating Our Society

ACTIVIST DESIGN

THE RICHLY IMAGINED FUTURE

RESEARCH & CASE STUDIES

10.O3.2015

“The past does not only draw us back to the past. There are certain memories of the past that have strong steel springs and, when we who live in the present touch them, they are suddenly stretched taut and then they propel us into the future.� -YUKIO MISHIMA

TABLE OF CONTENT [KEY POINTS INTRODUCED] INTRODUCTION: RESEARCH & FINDINGS CASE STUDY ONE: THE BRITISH RAJ

CASE STUDY TWO: BRAZILIAN JUI-JITSU

CASE STUDY THREE: NAZI REGIME

CASE STUDY FOUR: VATICAN CITY

CASE STUDY FIVE: JITTER BUG MOVEMENT

CASE STUDY SIX: CIVIL RIGHTS

CASE STUDY SEVEN: JONESTOWN CULT

CASE STUDY EIGHT: HIPPIE MOVEMENT

CASE STUDY NINE: BURNING MAN

CASE STUDY TEN: ANONYMOUS MOVEMENT

CASE STUDY ELEVEN: SELFIE MOVEMENT

FINAL THOUGHTS

REFLECTIONS: MAPPING BENEFITS

REFERENCES

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO CREATE A BETTER FUTURE? A BETTER SOCIETY?

CASE STUDY: EXPLORATION [INTRODUCTION] Throughout the course of time, we as a human race have created social, technological, economical, environmental and political innovations and movements. These man made creations have propelled us forward, while others have made us question our very existence in regards to how we treat one another. Through these movements and innovations, we have spiked societal behaviour both positively and negatively. As designers for tomorrow, we are now faced with the big question; would things have been different if the values of socially responsible design were applied? We are the designers who are creating a better tomorrow. Our belief is, at the end of the day, all anyone wants to be is happy. Happiness looks and feels different for everyone. It is our job to guide and challenge the human race into the state of enduring happiness. This can be done through meaningful connection, forcing people out of adaptation, and harmonious change. Through thorough examination on movements, innovations and communities through the course of history, 1800’s-2000’s, we have extracted values, benefits and signals that can be used and applied in conjunction with one another to successfully design a new community.

“When I was five years old, my mother told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy.’ They told me I didn’t understand the assignment. I told them they didn’t understand life.”- John Lennon

CASE STUDY [1] : THE BRITISH RAJ 1985 marks the beginning of British ruling in the sub-continental region of India. The British Crown was eventually responsible for the “Great Rebellion” which started the life and death struggle of Indian citizens that would later evolve into their fight for independence. It was a redefining moment for the country, states, cities, and individuals.

However a slender man from Gujarat, whose wit and will stood up to many adversaries, decided to come back from his education in South Africa where his desire to improve the lower class living continued to grow. It was then, where Mahatma Gandhi took reign in Indian politics and started his fight for independence.[1] However his plan to win had nothing to do with killing and violence. He’d win this with peace. During his journey around India’s struggling communities with the Indian National Congress (a major opposition towards the British Raj) Gandhi helped the citizens by improving living conditions and implemented educational systems to just name a few. He eventually adopted the name “Bapu” which translates to father. Gandhi had gained India’s trust, and was seen as a major political leader. The father of India knew that by gaining trust of three hundred and fifty million people, he could start the fight for independence, and begin the Indian revolution.

ONE MAN VS. THE BRITISH EMPIRE “Nobody can hurt me without my permission.”

-MOHANDAS GANDHI

“You can chain me, you can torture me, you can even destroy this body, but you will never imprison my mind.�

-MOHANDAS GANDHI

By being a major leader in the Indian National Congress he was able to inspire change in communities with struggling civil rights.[2] After his time with the congress, he started leading his own campaigns as well as large protests. It was through these non-violent efforts that the British Raj realized their eventual downfall once a revelation was sparked. The 78-year-old Gandhi was able to celebrate with his nation in 1947.

CASE STUDY [2] : BRAZILIAN JIU JITSU Martial arts are a codified systems and traditions of combat practices, which are practices for a variety of reasons such as self defense competition, physical health, entertainment, as well as mental and spiritual development. The term “martial arts” is derived from “art of mars”, originally a Latin term, which refers to the Roman god of war. While the term “martial arts” today is typically synonymous with Asian fighting arts, highly sophisticated European martial systems existed for centuries. [3] Within martial arts there is usually a hierarchy based on a level of respect, consisting of the master and student.

A martial art that has recently become more popular in the past decade due to the popularity of mixed martial arts is Brazilian jiu-jitsu also known as BJJ. Originating from Japan, and developed by the Gracie family in Brazil in the 1920’s, BJJ is a martial art & combat sport focusing on grappling and the use of leveraging ones body size to submit ones opponent without minimal use of force.[4] When translated into

English, the term “jiu-jitsu” when means, “gentle art”. The art promotes the concept that the smaller and weaker person can successfully defend against the bigger, stronger opponent by using proper technique, leverage when taking the fight to the ground, and applying joint locks and choke holds to defeat them.

After being made popular in Brazil by the Gracie family due to its effectiveness compared to other fighting styles, the art was made popular to the rest of the world when it was showcased in the United States through the Ultimate Fighting Championship. In this competition, various fighters from different styles were faced against a BJJ fighter from the Gracie family. In the end the BJJ fighter prevailed solidifying its dominance and practicality over other fighting styles. Since then BJJ has become an essential skill for any MMA fighter, and academies have emerged all around the world due to its practicality and self-defense methods.

MARTIAL ARTS.

“The extraordinary aspect of martial arts lies in its simplicity. The easy way is also the right way.”

Though martial arts and fighting may be considered violent, most martial arts teach the values of respect and self-control within the practitioner’s life style. Since striking is not involved within the usual practice of the martial art, students of BJJ are able to train longer and safer by avoiding serious contact injury.

Practitioners are able to place themselves in vulnerable situations where they experience physical and mental adversity without having to be in a real fight. By doing this they are able to condition themselves and train their body and mind to be prepared for unexpected situations. The control over emotions that one builds through practicing the art is something that can only be developed when placed in these physical scenarios. Respect and camaraderie is built between training partners and each is responsible for each other’s safety and ability to train.

CASE STUDY [3] : NAZI REGIME Adolf Hitler was an Austrian by birth but eventually came to power as the leader of the National Socialist Party (Nazi Party) Hitler’s views were not always those of Germany however.[5] In 1923 Hitler was thrown into jail for 9 months for attempting to overthrow Bavaria. In this time Hitler wrote his memoir, Mein Kampf. The book was very profitable and helped him gain his position as Chancellor of Germany. After attaining this power Hitler quickly convinced parliament to allow the government freedom to create laws without approval. Hitler was a master of rhetoric and quickly convinced Germany that the Nazi party was what Germany needed.[6] This ability also allowed him to create his own army of child soldiers. These youth did not have a choice whether they wanted to join or not, in 1939 Hitler conscripted all German youth to join the Hitler Youth, even if their parents objected.[7] The Hitler Youth were a group of German boys aged 10 to 14 who were trained to be racist and fight faithfully for the Third Reich (Nazis). Hitler’s reign came to an end in 1945 at the end of WW2 with a death toll reaching close to 6 million people.

THE HITLER ERA “The receptivity of the masses is very limited, their intelligence is small, but their power of forgetting is enormous. In consequence of these facts, all effective propaganda must be limited to a very few points and must harp on these in slogans until the last member of the public understands what you want him to understand by your slogan.�

-ADOLF HITLER

CASE STUDY [4] : THE VATICAN CITY Since 1929, the Holy See has been governing the Roman Catholic Church in Vatican City with the leadership of the Pope.

Their independence marked the beginning of religious authority.

The world’s smallest independent nation-state has been losing some of their rich culture since the popes during the renaissance (and earlier) were mostly among the top Italian artists.[8] However, the city still attracts a large amount of tourists because of the religious importance and history of the place. For residential living experience, the Vatican publishes their own newspapers, produces their own television programs, telephone systems, banking systems and pharmacies to name a few. The Vatican represents the sustainable society and legacy it leaves behind for future generations to adopt and be inspired by religious values and history.

Truth, according to the Christian faith, is God's love for us in Jesus Christ. Therefore, truth is a relationship.

-POPE FANCIS

CASE STUDY [5] : JITTERBUG MOVEMENT In the 1930’s, the youth craze for Swing exploded. African American jazz music had been popularizing for a decade before this with a foundation built of work songs and spiritual elements.[9] The youth were called Jitterbugs and then danced in a wild style to hot jazz performed by big orchestras.

The interesting thing about this movement was the birth of social sustainability through the arts.

Through music, black and white kids were able to dance together without prescience. Enthusiastically and selflessly, these kids were American’s living for the world of tomorrow.[10] Music acted as the glue that bonded the two “shades” of people together. Black and white did not matter anymore. All that mattered was having fun, together. Swing music is arguably one of the most powerful styles in the history of music. A style of music that could bring people together through dance, is something special and inspirational. Alongside the sound of the music, the physical act brought these kids even closer.

Dancing was a fun way to express themselves to each other. Holding hands, jumping, twirling, flipping were all signals to engage in activity together. The Jitterbugs even influenced adults unintentionally to join in the fun! This movement has inspired and motivated the B-Boys we know today.

THE JITTERBUGS A community created by sound and movement to unite black and white together as one.

CASE STUDY [6] : CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

Racial segregation was strict in most parts of America in the 1940’s. Individual communities began to form based on race; i.e. an all white country road town. The most prominent act of racial segregation was between the white and black people of America. 50 years ago today in Selma, Alabama, King Martin Luther Jr. lead a march over the Edmund Pettus Bridge.[11] The black people of Selma were denied voting privileges while the white people controlled all decision making processes and governed the state. This was not the case for the entire United States of America. The president of Alabama saw no significant in allowing black people the right to vote. He did not see these people as nearly half the worth of a white man. The march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge was one that involved people with determination for equality. There are hundreds of reasons as to why this movement was and continues to be significant in our world. In particular, if you were of colour and did not march alongside the fellow people fighting for equality, then you were just as guilty as the white cops killing people off. No physical harm was done onto those who did not take part in the movement. Only engraved thoughts of them not fighting for their right would live on in their conscious forever.

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

“You can kill a man, but you can’t kill an idea.”

-MEDGAR EVERS

CASE STUDY [7] : JONESTOWN CULT

The Jonestown Massacre is the result of Jim Jones vision for a communist community in 1956.

Jones founded the Peoples Temple, which was meant to be a church that focused on helping people in need. Jones vision inspired thousands of people in a time of need and is what ultimately gave him his power. He was a man of the people, an advocate for both social and racial equality. The cult started in the United States but Jones wanted complete control over his community so in 1973 he moved the started work on the compound in Guyana.[12] At first the members joined willingly but after being forced into labour and not being allowed to leave it became clear that they were being held captive. On November 17 1978 U.S. Representative Leo Ryan visited Jonestown after hearing reports of the captivity. Initial investigation showed no signs of these allegations until a cult member slipped the congressman’s camera crew a note with names on it. At that point he knew they had to leave. After leaving the compound with 15 members the congressman was gunned down by other cult members at the airport.[13] Only hours later Jones had convinced the community that a mass suicide was the only solution since the United States would attack them for the congressman’s death. On November 18, 1978, over 918 Americans of different backgrounds lost their lives in Guyana at the hands of Jim Jones.

“Nobody joins a cult. Nobody joins something they think's gonna hurt them. You join a religious organization, you join a political movement, and you join with people that you really like.”

-DEBORAH LAYTON

CASE STUDY [8] : HIPPIE MOVEMENT Between 1965 and 1969 the psychedelic era took over the world. Part of the hippie movement, the psyched era encouraged questioning authority, empathy, and political awareness.[14] By removing themselves from consumer goods and gaining a closer understanding of oneself they attempted to achieve a relationship with a higher power. A driving factor of this movement was the use of music festivals to bring the community together. In 1967 over 30,000 hippies gathered in golden gate park, this marked the start of the summer of love. That summer it was estimated that over 100,000 people traveled to San Francisco to partake in the festivities. When the summer finally came to an end the hippies migrated throughout America and created their own communities. The peak of this movement was Woodstock 1969.[15] Over 300,000 people with similar views gathered in New York making this the most infamous event of the psychedelic era. These values of harmony with nature, communal living and experimentation are what tied this group of people together.

“Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's what's insane about it.� -JOHN LENNON

CASE STUDY [9] : BURNING MAN

Once a year, tens of thousands of people gather in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert to create Back Rock City, a temporary metropolis that is burned down at its end, dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance where all are welcome.[16] Larry Harvey, the co-founder of Burning Man, created the Ten Principles in 2004 as a reflection of the community’s ethos and culture as it had organically developed since the events inception.[17] These principles are: For Burning Mans culture to survive and flourish, they believe they must continually work to nourish these core values. This ethos is the living heart of their community, conscience and collective memory.[18] This mobile community is able to create positive social connections by establishing a set of values that permeates every aspect of Burning Man culture. Everyone within the community are active participants in creating the environment in which they live in for a period of time. This means that each person holds a degree of responsibility for upholding Burning Mans values and maintaining the community they’ve built.

1.Radical Inclusion: Anyone may be part of burning man.

2.Gifting: Burning Man is devoted to acts of gift giving.

3.Decommodification: We stand ready to protect our culture from exploitation.

4.Radical Self-reliance: Burning Man encourages the individual to discover, exercise and rely on his or her inner resources.

5.Radical Self-expression: Arises from the unique gifts of the individual. No one other than the individual or a collaborating group can determine its content. It is offered as a gift to others.

6.Communal Effort: Our community values creative cooperation and collaboration.

7.Civic Responsibility: We value civil society.

8.Leaving No Trace: Our community respects the environment.

9.Participation: Our community is committed to radicall participatory ethic.

10.Immediacy: Immediate experience is, in many ways, the most important touchstone of value in our culture.

“Life is short. Make something amazing.

Then burn it.�

CASE STUDY [10] : THE ANONYMOUS MOVEMENT

Anonymous is an anti-authoritarian international network of activist and hacker entities. Anonymous is a not a group but is self-described as an Internet gathering focused on promoting access to information, free speech, and transparency.[19] They have a very loose and decentralized command structure that operates on ideas rather than directives.[20] Anonymous originated in 2003 on the imageboard of 4chan, representing the concept of many online and offline community users and simultaneous existing as a disruptive digital collective. Anonymous members can be distinguished in public by the wearing of stylized Guy Fawkes masks.

“We do not forget, we do not forgive, we are legion, expect us.”

-ANONYMOUS

“The corrupt fear us.

The honest support us.

The heroic join us.”

-ANONYMOUS

The loosely connected group became known for a series of distributed denial-of-service attacks on government, religious, and corporate websites beginning in 2008.[21] Internet censorship and control is at the heart of the groups philosophy and have orchestrated a number of well-publicized stunts. Though the movement may seem radical, they operate with a level of ethics and do not steal any personal information or credit card information. They also do not seek to attack critical infrastructure of companies as it may affect their consumers directly. Anonymous is a movement that cannot be completely defined, as they do not exclude anyone from being part of them, but they also do not take responsibility for the actions one might take as no one speaks for them, and they speak for no one. The inclusive nature of the movement allows anyone of any background to take part in their actions, but the freedom of its participants to do what they want when they want is anarchic. This also means that anyone in the movement is able to practice their own values without having to be subjected to ridicule or exclusion. The problem is knowing the true intentions of Anonymous as a whole as each participant’s values vary.

CASE STUDY [11] : THE SELFIE MOVEMENT

To selfie or not to selfie, that is the question. In 2010, Apple released the iPhone 4 which had a front-facing-camera. This simple product feature opened people up to an entirely new world; the world of new age portraiture #selfie. When holding the iPhone, one has to find the proper angle titled approximately 45 degrees just above the forehead to achieve the most forgiving shot.[22] One of the most powerful forms of self-expression has come from putting the camera on the front side of a cellular device. Some say this is a way to curate a visual diary of ones life through exercising digital freedom in recording private memories and charting the course of their lives. Others say engaging in selfie related activity is a symbol of vanity and the Millennial generation is one full of narcissists. The selfie movement has several side effects. People care more than ever before about how they appear to others and as a consequence, social acceptance only comes when the world accepts the way one looks. This toxic idea of social acceptance based solely on appearance, illuminates the endorsements on the work people actually do to benefit society. There are some extremely influential leaders that propel this movement forward, aka Kim Kardashian. Kim Kardashian is either loved or hated by the public. Her selfie game is known to be the strongest and for that reason she is releasing a published book which is a timeline of ten years worth of selfies. Phenomenal. Alongside these influential public figures are heaps and heaps of “followers.” These “followers,” also known as human beings, try to mask their lives to reflect those of the selfie-leaders. The selfie movement is far from over and will continue to grow in numbers as long as people continue popping out babies.

“If you could take a selfie of your soul, would you find it attractive enough to post?�

OUR FINAL THOUGHTS

Through comprehensive exploration, the movements researched have shown unique patterns. These patterns were made clear by looking at every individual involved. People use objects, sound, movement and heartaches to create powerful connections between one another. The Jitterbugs used the sound of music and the movement of their bodies to connect two races that were forbidden to participate or engage in any activity that brought both parties happiness. The Burning Man movement enabled acceptance, freedom of expression and escape from the modern world. Hitler’s destructive antics in taking down a race, only created a stronger more powerful community of people that live today. As designers we need to take all the positive and negative that arose from these movements and use them as inspiration to create a better tomorrow. This inspiration gathered from the research done will further propel us into creating a community that has never been thought of or done before. This community will be challenged in maintaining the most fulfilling emotion of all, happiness.

TIMELINE

OVERALL BENEFITS

VULNERABILITY

TO RELIGION 1858

1920

1923

1929

1930

194

BRITISH RAJ

BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU

HITLER

VATICAN CITY

JITTER BUGS

CIV RIGH

MINDFULNESS

ARTS & CULTURE

PEACEFUL PROTEST

OGETHERNESS

SELF-APPRECIATION

ACTIVE PARTICPATION

40

1956

1960

1986

2003

2010

VIL HTS

JONESTOWN

PSYCHEDELIC MOVEMENT

BURNING MAN

ANONYMOUS MOVEMENT

SELFIE MOVEMENT

DIGITAL FEAR

BENEFITS MINFULNESS ART & CULTURE TECHNOLOGY

DIGITAL EMERGENCE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION SELF-APPRECIATION

“Think outside the box, collapse the box and take a fucking knife to it.”

-BANKSY

A GLIMPSE INTO OUR STRUCTURE: FUTURE SOCIETY

FRAMEWORK INITIATION PHASE

HAPPINESS.

YUP.THATS IT.

HAPPINESS [PERPETUAL]

As we define who we are through our actions and motives each day, our values and our beliefs are susceptible to change. What we may believe in and value today may not be relevant to us 5 years from now. Values though, are needed to govern one’s thought process, through which they take action. If one’s values are to change perpetually, there must be a constant variable that maintains balance in how we base these values.

Our proposed constant is happiness, or happiness that perpetuates happiness. The emotional state of well-being characterized by positive emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. To place happiness at the beginning of our framework means to place ones own well-being at the forefront of decisions and choices to be made.

REFERENCES 1) Whipps, Heather (2008), “How Gandhi Changed the World”. Live Science. Sep. 08. 2008 2) Kaul, Chandrika (2011),” From Empire to Independence: the British Raj in India”. BBC History. Web. Mar. 3. 2011 3) Opdam, Lex. "European Medieval and Renaissance Martial Arts."Template Meibukan Magazine (n.d.): n. pag. Jan. 2006.

Web. 6 Mar. 2015.

4) "Brazilian Jiu Jitsu." BJJ Heroes the Jiu Jitsu Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Mar. 2015.

5) Rothwell, Victor (2001). The Origins of the Second World War. Manchester: Manchester University Press 6) Overy, Richard (2005). Hitler As War Leader. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

7) Jetzinger, Franz (1976) [1956]. Hitler's Youth. Westport, Conn: Greenwood 8) The Editors of Britannia (2014), “State of the Vatican City”. Britannica Encyclopedia. Sep. 12. 2014 9) "Swing Street" JITTERBUG DANCE. Jitterbug Dance, n.d. Web. 09 Mar. 2015.

10)"A History of Jazz." Jazz History, n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.

11) Staff, History.com. "Civil Rights Movement." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 01 Jan. 2009. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.

12) "Jonestown Massacre Documentary." YouTube. YouTube. Web. 5 Mar. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpWr45bKWpE>.

13) Rosenberg, Jennifer. "The Story of the Jonestown Massacre." Web. 5 Mar. 2015. <http://history1900s.about.com/od/1970s/p/jonestown.htm>.

14) Heath, Joseph; Potter, Andrew (2004), Nation of Rebels: Why Counterculture Became Consumer Culture, Collins 15) McCleary, John (2004), The Hippie Dictionary, Ten Speed Press 16) "The Event." Burning Man. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Mar. 2015.

17) "The 10 Principles of Burning Man." Burning Man. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Mar. 2015.

18)"Philosophical Center." Burning Man. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Mar. 2015.

19) Akhgar, Babak, Andrew Staniforth, and Francesca Bosco. Cyber Crime and Cyber Terrorism Investigator's Handbook.

Burlington: Elsevier Science, 2014. 113-14. Print.

20) "ANON OPS: A Press Release." ANON OPS: A Press Release (n.d.): n. pag.Wired. 10 Dec. 2010. Web. 6 Mar. 2015.

21) Schwartz, Matthew J. "Who Is Anonymous: 10 Key Facts." Dark Reading. N.p., 2 June 2012. Web. 06 Mar. 2015.

22) Coulthard, Charissa. "A History of the Selfie." BBC News. Copyright © 2015 BBC., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.

KRISTEN A. ROBBIE A. JOSH S. DEVJOY R.