All i wish for today.
Designing Communication Processes for Social Change Malmรถ University Autumn 2010 Pernilla Severson
An essay by Martin Petersen Rรถnnblomsgatan 6A 21216 Malmรถ
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All i wish for today.
ability to love, to think, to not to be a tool for economy – yes, to feel happiness in todays “working” world at all. As read in Theodor W. Adornos book “Minima Moralia” [2], he said on a german radio show once:
“Maybe the warmth between people […] never existed.” [3]. Adorno refers mostly to the events in the Third Reich and in Germany as a post-facist country after it, but his views and the way of negative dialectic processes can and should be transcribed to todays life also. Adorno, Freud & Fromm are not the only psychologists and sociologists that came to this conclusion, no, i would assume that it’s a common known thing all over the critical thinking humanities. I will not suppose that it’s impossible to feel happiness nowadays, but i think that it’s a common fact that most of the people in todays modern world just In this essay i will give a closer look about my project
pretend to be happy. After personal research and lit-
“All i wish for today” which i did for the “Designing
eracy over many years it was getting clearer to me
Communication Processes for Social Change” class
that it’s possible to change peoples way of thinking
in 2010 with Pernilla Severson at Malmö University
and make them more able to feel and think for them-
in Sweden. I’ll not only focus on the project itself but
selves, to let them reflect and realize what they really
even more on the Why?. This will not only include
want, what their needs really are. Just imagine get-
the idea and the description of the problem, but also
ting a job directly after high school, working for 30
a small insight in all different aspects of its theoreti-
to 40 years, get a family, buy a house and than realize
cal background, including some other examples and
that you are not happy with your job, family and life
my own opinion from time to time.
at all. As not only Steve Jobs said in his speech at the Stanford University, you should never stop searching
The problem
for what you love and what really makes you happy. [4]
Referring to the “Stairs of Learning” (or the “Circle
In todays world people mostly just pretend to be
of Learning”) [5] you have to transform the Stairs into
happy. As Fromm said, people have to wear “the
a Circle, explaining that you should not (and never)
Mask of Happiness to not loose their Credit on the
stop in the state of conscious competence but always
Market” [1]. From his point real happiness doesn’t ex-
keep learning, keep your eyes open and move for-
ist today. According to Freuds “Civilization and Its
ward for yourself.
Discontents” Fromm said that people have lost the
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The problem is, aslong as it’s able to be defined in
Making them think and reflect about themselves,
any way, that most people are not aware of them-
trying to achieve that one second long silent moment
selves, their inner dreams, feelings and needs. To
in their mind, with the hope of putting a smile on
take this concept from another but similar viewing
their face afterwards. A smile that is not just a mask
point: No child is born homophobic, racist or sex-
of happiness, but one that they might bring home, to
ist. The mass-media plays a big role in what people
work, or just to other random people they’re passing
believe and think, what they suppose their needs are,
by on the streets.
and what their dreams should be, when they lost the capability to dream for them self. Consumption was growing into a worldwide blind consumption for
“All i wish for today is strangers smile on my way home.” [6]
many years after the industrialisation. Today luckily more and more people start to get aware of what is going on around them. The Internet, as i will out-
Internet & DIY-Culture
line later, has made a big change and creates a even more bigger chance for global social change today.
Not missing the participatory Communication part – putting theory into practice – which will be on one
A small try
hand the reaction of the people directly on the streets and on the other hand the reaction in the Internet
During many years of my own experience in politi-
as the plattform for documentation, sharing, discus-
cal groups, in the internet, as a part-time blogger,
sion and finally (participatory) communication. In-
as an musician, an artist in the Street-Art & Graffiti
cluded in my Media Design is a short documentation
Scene and finally as a Graphic Designer who worked
movie which will show, without any spoken words,
in quite big agencies, i know what immense impact
how easy it is today to create such artwork in a small
words can have on people, when they’re transported
amount of time and how to bring it to the streets,
in just the right way to reach the right target group
hopefully without any problems.
at the right moment, in the right time. As you might have already found out while reading this essay, i’m
Such short documentation clips have their origin or
not really good in (copy-) writing, but – hooray! –
breakthrough in the internet, through plattforms
other people are.
like YouTube, Vimeo, Instructables or blogs like the Make Magazine Make-Blog. [7] Those documentation
In my project i will work with the impact of words,
an How-To movie clips and are most of the times in-
of famous quotes, in a transformed and remixed way,
fluenced by the theoretical background of the DIY-
published in the common known design of Malmös
Culture.
road signs. Those sings will transport little messages and remarkable quotes to the people on the streets.
The DIY-Culture was before-, but has become even
Letting people who are on their way to work, to the
more globalized through the influence of the
next meeting, to breakfast, lunch, home or are just
Internet.
out for a walk with their dog, stand still and think about it for one moment.
As Michael Kimmelmann says in an article in the
nicate with other people by email, internet-chats or
New York Times:
online (video)telephony. If you even go one step further, as many people do today, and be your own me-
“Today it’s made and distributed in countless dif-
dia producer in the internet, it makes you the owner,
ferent ways, giving not just governments and in-
director and creator of your own media imperium,
stitutions but nearly everyone with access to the
next to many others in the World Wide Web and this
Web the means to choose and shape his or her
will need, as Mc Luhan describes a lot more “high
own culture, identity, tribal fidelities — and then
involvement” than sitting on the couch and watch-
spread this culture, via Youtube or whatever else,
ing TV-Shows does. The possibility to become the
among allies (and enemies) everywhere,
action taking part of media is in fact a big chance to
a democratizing process.” [8]
make the world a better place, not even just for you. So many people, projects, parties try to use the web
Everywhere you can find more or less useful instruc-
for their purpose. Michael Kimmelmann says further
tions, written, illustrated, photographed or filmed
in his article:
how to f.e. knit your own socks and scarfs, learn how to play the piano, screen print your own t-shirts,
“ The downside of this democratization is how
cut them with scissors to make a grocery bag out of
every political niche and fringe group has found
them, how to make purses out of duct tape [9] and
a culture via the Web to reinforce its already nar-
even build your own 3D-printer from scratch. [10]
row views, polarizing parts of society despite the widened horizon. Neo-Nazis across borders now
Those how-to’s and little Zines & Readers were also
bond around cultural artifacts available over the
very famous since the birth of public and self dis-
Internet. Democrats and Republicans move fur-
tributed press beginning around the 1970s, but the
ther apart, digesting news from their own cable
Internet has taken this whole idea a big step further.
network shows.” [8]
Everybody, who has acces to the Internet, can share information today and it’s our turn to be mediated
On the web you will find cute adverts for Green
for this flood of information, to find out for ourselves
Peace right under Neo-Nazi or other right-wing fas-
what’s good or what’s bad information.
cist Propaganda and homophobic christian sects. Anti-semitic conspiracies and islamic hate speeches
According to Marshall Mc Luhans theories in his
next to oppositional parties and personal journalism,
book “Understanding Media” from 1964 the Inter-
news documented and published on blogs and twit-
net can be describes as a Hot and Cold medium at the
ter accounts from “normal” people about what’s re-
same time. [11] It’s a hot medium because it trans-
ally happening.
ports a huge amount of media with “low involvement”, like non-art photography, entertainment
For example the ongoing struggles in the middle
movie clips or music, etc. In the other way it’s a cold
east conflict have been taken to whole other dimen-
medium because it also requires “high involvement”
sion, just as the demonstrations in Iran were, when
from the recipient. This means the process of being
everybody was talking about the “Twitter Revolu-
your own media channel, of selecting for yourself
tion”, that sadly didn’t changed any of the problems
wich media you consume, of the way you commu-
it should have. [12]
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n the web there is space for everyone, and that
With the documentation movie from my project i’ll
is one hand an achievable thing for the freedom of
become a publisher of my own work and media and
speech, the free development of the individuals and
try to communicate in a participatory way with peo-
the spreading of human rights, but on the other hand
ple about how easy and simple it is to go out on the
it’s dangerous for non-mediated people who are not
street and make some people smile, to change the
able to select between news and still believe the
world with such little things that can make everyday
wrong information. Different from television where
a little less stressful and hopefully people more aware
you propably will find 85% opinion making, racist &
of important things, such as happiness is – aslong it’s
sexist entertainment program, the world wide web
even possible to exist.
is a place where everybody, every interest group can create their own media imperium.
For me, i’m glad that i can choose to what jokes i laugh, how i’ll get entertained and what newspapers, blogs & articles i can read to get a larger view of problems and discussions and reflect my own thinking with it. Nonetheless, as i said already, it’s important to learn that process of mediation for yourself. You can either go the linear or the abstract way of communication. In point of view the internet has not changed the ugly face of mass-media culture totally, but it gives a lot of opportunities for everyone who wants to escape from it and think for themselves.
Guerilla Marketing by Nike
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The Ad-World
Advertising is important to let the people know what product you sell, in which way it will help you with
The Street-Art & Graffiti Culture understands itself
certain features or services, how it should make your
as part of the “Reclaim the Streets” movement [13]
life better and easier. If you’re product isn’t worth
which purpose is to reclaim back the streets; to take
anything, you have to make it attractive in another
over public space again and give it back to the people.
way, mostly by putting sexist symbols next to it, or
Everywhere you look on the streets you’ll find adver-
describe it as an essential need, a feeling that every-
tisements, LED screens, blinking neon signs & bill-
one want’s to feel – yes even freedom can be bought
boards that tell you to “Buy! Buy! Buy!” some random
today, if we’d believe what is told to us through ad-
product or service. Even more often this message is
vertisement.
transported in the ugly way with sexist stereotypes like half naked woman, strong men taking care of weak women, hetero-normative couples, or cute eyes of puppies or kids that assume you to help them with your money. It’s not my intention to criticize advertising in it’s originally purpose and it’s very creative way sometimes, because we’re living in a world that’s run by capitalism and we’re all, without any exceptions,
Mediated people nowadays with an understanding
capitalists with the only purpose, so sad this may
of human rights and an anti-sexist, or even feminist
sound, to make money for our living, or let’s better
touch don’t believe those advertisings anymore. I
say the state and the global economy. Every small or
would say that they’re not even seeing them for real
large company does the same what every individual
anymore when they’re walking out on the streets,
person is doing in this system. Thankfully the radical
looking in magazines, at websites or tv-shows. The
left way of anti-imperialistic thinking that is stucked
advertising world is beginning to understand that
in it’s theory way back in the 80s has finally changed
they have to start a new way of thinking and acting.
in to a multi-imperial way, were are as many individ-
Aslong as the product is good, you can advertise it
ual imperials as there’re acting people in the world.
in a good, and sometimes even funny way. When it’s really good, people will talk about it on their own. If
A
it’s not, the internet community f.e. will find out in
portfolio and my public figure acting in the scene on
Nonetheless bad advertising is still on the streets,
social plattforms. This leeds to another way of ad-
because there are so many people out there still
vertising including theories of individuality and nar-
believing and buying their messages. Some streets
cism, admiration and pseudo competences – special-
are nearly full covered with advertising that you
ly on the internet – which is a whole topic for itself
can barely see house walls, street signs or the re-
and can’t be discussed by me now, but again comes
maining nature at all. That’s another fact that you
back to the simple need and purpose of advertising.
can easily change by just going out and be creative.
s a Graphic Designer i have to advertise myself
seconds and write hundreds of blogposts exposing it.
on the design market everyday through my online
of public advertising still belongs to companies, and
Reclaim the Streets
mostly those companies who can afford it. In the last years Street-Art became really hip and famous,
The Street-Art & Graffiti movement started in the
with the help of the internet again and it’s massive
1970s to reclaim this public space. When a company
documentation possibilities. So famous, that some
can put their ad on the streets or somewhere else,
years ago even companies started to use this rebell-
their theorie is that you as an individual earth citizen
medium for their purpose – “Guerilla Marketing”
can also put your your artwork, your opinion, your
was born. Stencils with the Nike Swoosh, Interactive
Ad everywhere.
Street Installations for Volkswagen or big paid graffitis for the evangelic christian movement are just
Ad-Busting is one method of the political Street-
some examples. [15]
Art movement. Billboards & Ad-Panels get another meaning by painting, pasting or spraying something
Just as the Internet as a medium for everyone to
on it. It includes even the copying of the whole media
publish their information, the streets are getting it
design and the companies corporate identity to cre-
too again. Companies are occupying the idea of the
ate fake ads and spread them with another message,
(political) Street-Art movement, such as right-wing
mostly contrary to the company one. [13] When you
movements are doing it the same today. Street-Art &
walk through the streets everyday you might have
Graffiti are hip and trendy and need again a certain
not seen it, but if you keep your eyes open, you’ll find
level of mediation. You may like it or not, but at least
a lot of Tags, Bombings, Characters, Cut Outs, Paste
this marketing strategy is direct and in a way new.
Ups or Stickers everywhere. [14]
But still agencies will only reach those people with it, who actually look at such things as Street-Art &
The governments of every country (except São
Graffiti in the streets.
Paulo) are forbidding this kind of Art-Culture, but including it in the same time in their gentrifica-
For the most people it’s still just dirt and scratch-
tion process of alternative parts of the city, to make
work from a bad and illegal youth movement.
them more attractive for tenants and landlords.
The case that it’s just a small amount of people who
On one hand it’s illegal, forbidden and can lead to
actually look at such things, has brought me to the
huge fees and even prison sentences, on the other
idea of remixing and sampling the maybe most ac-
hand it’s wanted by the cities to keep the people en-
cessible and known kind of street communica-
tertained, to keep the level of culture on a certain
tion for over hundreds of years, the road signs of
amount, to let the people think that they’re happy in
Malmö in Sweden. In the moral sense of the DIY
their life as workers in the modern city metropoles.
& Street-Art Culture this project has been realized with easy tools and methods for reproduction,
The fact that freshly painted house walls getting
publishing and documentation, with the purpose
destroyed is understandable, but on the other hand
of transporting a message not just on the streets,
without some color and cuteness on the streets, so
but also in the internet and maybe public press.
my opinion, life would be even more grey, boring and depressing. You might find places in cities where it’s allowed to do Street-Art, but the main purpose
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Recap For sure, there is no easy solution, not one way to change the world into a better place, but my project is at least trying to break the daily routine of peoples lives, to give them another perspective on certain things and make them aware of whatever they forgot or not thought about in that special moment and hopefully even further.
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he circumstance that i don’t have any actual
stakeholders in the first part of my project has first lead me to the thought of not being able to get a successful result at all. After some days of resignation and lack of ideas, a group discussion with my friends helped me to see the project from another perspective. Getting back to the basics and “roots” of Street-Art and DIY-Culture, by having a no-budget at all, using paste-up posters printed for cheap on a copy machine, opened me another way of acting and another way of my theoretical background. For me it’s always beautiful to see how you can have such an impact in peoples daily life (or even further) with that less amount of money. This is one of the principles of the DIY-Culture, which i’ll also transport by uploading the documentation movie clip, and sharing it over 2 of the biggest street art blogs, my personal
[1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAbKIvpALmg
blog, some twitter accounts and the “tumblr-sphere”
[2] Theodor W. Adorno – Minima Moralia: reflections on a damaged
[16]. With my literacy of working as a Graphic De-
life, 1951 Suhrkamp Verlag (Google Books: http://is.gd/grA8K)
signer for three years now, i’ve learned a lot how to
[3] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqIPOGIlKFI
influence people. I did it mostly for advertising agen-
[4] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc
cies to sell their clients products. Now i want to do it
[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_competence
the other way around again, back to my graphic-art
[6] Clara Luzia – All i wish for (http://claraluzia.com/all.html)
roots in the Street-Art scene, i hope it will have some
[7] http://www.instructables.com & http://blog.makezine.com
impact, even if it’s just for a small amount of time
[8] http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/18/arts/18abroad.html?_r=1
famous in the web, or just for 2 seconds a thought in
[9] http://www.instructables.com/id/how-to-make-a-duct-tape-purse
peoples mind while reading the signs, it’s a small ben-
[10] http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/10/homemade_
efit for making the world a better place, in small steps.
high_resolution_dlp_3d_pri.html
The days are getting shorter, grey and darker. It will
[11] Marshall Mc Luhan – Understanding Media: the extensions
be cold outside and the way home will be hold as
of men, 1964 MIT Press (Google Books: http://is.gd/grCSv)
short as possible, to escape into the warm comfort
[12] http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jun/16/irans-
zone again.
twitter-revolution [13] http://www.eco-action.org/dod/no6/rts.htm
Happiness, if it exists, will be less and less visible on
[14] http://brightongraffitiandstreetart.wordpress.com/brighton_
the cold streets. So it’s, i think, even better to start this
graffiti_street_art_glossary/
project during autumn, because smiles on peoples
[15] http://weburbanist.com/2008/08/27/15-amazing-dramatic-
faces are even more rare when it’s cold & dark outside.
guerrilla-marketing-campaigns/ [16] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumblr
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