making sense and meaning¶

february_2023

class readings_¶

the readings reflect a range of experiences and perspectives related to the early history of america. the ho-chunk creation story and the iroquois describe the beginning of the world describe the traditional beliefs of native american cultures and their encounter with christian european beliefs. john winthrop’s “a model of christian charity” reflects the puritan values of the english colonists and their desire to create a “city upon a hill.” mary rowlandson’s “a narrative of the captivity and restoration of mrs. mary rowlandson” provides a personal account of the trauma and resilience of a captive of native americans during king philip’s war. lepore’s “the name of war” explores the historical and cultural factors that led to the conflict, emphasizing the clash of cultures and power dynamics between the english colonists and the native american tribes. phyllis wheatley’s poetry reflects her experience as a slave, her hopes for a more just and equal society, and the ways in which power and oppression operate within communities. together, these readings offer essential insights into the early history of america and the complex cultural, social, and political forces that shaped it.

overall “overview”_¶

respectfully, i found the class readings to be heavily focused on europe and america, and it was challenging for me to connect with the material. as someone who grew up in the middle east, i have always felt like my experiences were vastly different from those of people in the west. while it’s important to acknowledge and study major events in history, it’s equally important to recognize that focusing solely on one period or region will not solve the world’s problems or shift perspectives on individual struggles.

i empathize deeply with those who have suffered from atrocities, but it’s also crucial to understand that they may not fully understand or be aware of the complexities and nuances of my own people’s struggles. when we’re constantly discussing topics such as communication and resilience, it can feel like we’re being left out of the conversation.

these are just some of the thoughts that i’ve had when reflecting on my own experiences.

overall, i really enjoyed the approach the class took toward exploring the meaning behind our design philosophies. it was fascinating to read about the potential interventions for the future of design, as outlined in the readings that tomas assigned us. i found myself truly engaged in the material and had a lot of fun exploring these concepts.

readings reflection_¶

the three readings provide different perspectives on the design, ecological, and epistemological challenges facing humanity. the first reading, “design as participation” by kevin slavin, discusses participatory design, arguing that designers should collaborate with all stakeholders, considering their perspectives to create solutions that are responsive to their needs. the second reading, “a history of the world in seven cheap things” by jason w. moore, argues that capitalism is a world ecology that has shaped the world for the past 500 years by exploiting and transforming nature, labor, money, care, food, energy, and raw materials. the authors propose a new approach to economics and ecology that addresses the social and environmental crises of our time. the third reading, “steps to an ecology of mind” by gregory bateson, argues that modern western thought is based on false assumptions that have led to a crisis in the natural world and human society. bateson proposes an alternative approach based on cybernetics and systems theory that emphasizes the relationship between systems and the feedback loops that connect them.

in “design as participation,” slavin emphasizes the importance of participation in the design process to ensure that all voices are heard and all perspectives are taken into account. according to him, participation is necessary for effective design as it creates solutions that are truly responsive to the needs of all stakeholders. the author also discusses the role of technology in participatory design, noting that it can facilitate participation while also excluding certain groups and reinforcing power imbalances. he argues that collaboration is critical for participatory design and requires a willingness to listen to others, a willingness to compromise, and a recognition of the value of diverse perspectives. slavin also discusses the ethical considerations of participatory design, including issues of power, representation, and accountability. he argues that ethical principles must guide participatory design to ensure that it is inclusive, equitable, and socially responsible.

participatory design is not a new concept; it has been used in various contexts throughout history. one example is the cooperative movement that emerged during the industrial revolution in the 19^th century. the cooperatives were founded on the principles of democratic governance, collective ownership, and participatory decision-making. they were created as an alternative to the exploitative and dehumanizing working conditions in capitalist factories. cooperatives provided workers with a means of organizing and controlling their own work, as well as a source of social and economic support. today, cooperatives continue to exist in various forms around the world, from worker-owned businesses to community-led initiatives.

in the second reading, “a history of the world in seven cheap things,” moore argues that capitalism has exploited and transformed nature, labor, and other “cheap things” to sustain growth and profits. he identifies seven “cheap things” that have been central to capitalism’s development and expansion: nature, labor, money, care, food, energy, and raw materials. according to moore, the overuse and exploitation of these “cheap things” have come at a high cost to people and the planet. he argues that a new approach to economics and ecology is needed to address the social and environmental crises of our time.

moore’s arguments are supported by real-life examples of environmental degradation and social inequality. for instance, the exploitation of natural resources such as oil and gas has led to environmental disasters such as oil spills, land degradation, and water pollution. the use of cheap labor in global supply chains has perpetuated human rights abuses and social inequality, including child labor and forced labor. the global food system has also been criticized for its reliance on monoculture farming, which depletes soil nutrients and contributes to the loss of biodiversity.

in the third reading, “steps to an ecology of mind,” bateson argues that modern western thought is based on false assumptions that have led to a crisis in the natural world and human society. he proposes an alternative approach based on cybernetics and systems theory, which emphasizes the relationship between systems and the feedback loops that connect them. bateson discusses the importance of form in understanding complex systems, arguing that form is the key to understanding the relationship between the parts and the whole. he proposes a new approach to understanding form based on the concept of the “pattern that connects.” bateson also emphasizes the importance of context in understanding the world, arguing that context determines the meaning of events. he proposes a new approach to understanding context based on the concept of the “ecology of mind,” which emphasizes the interdependence of all living systems. bateson concludes by arguing that his approach requires a new way of thinking about the relationship between humans and the natural world and a new set of ethical principles based on the concept of “an ecology of ideas.”

bateson’s ideas have influenced various fields of study, including biology, psychology, and anthropology. his approach to understanding complex systems has been applied in real-life contexts, such as ecological conservation and natural resource management. for example, the concept of the “ecology of mind” has been used to promote sustainable development practices that take into account the interdependence of social, economic, and environmental systems. the concept of the “pattern that connects” has been used to promote interdisciplinary approaches to problem-solving, where different fields of study collaborate to address complex issues.

in conclusion, the readings provide insights into the challenges facing humanity in the design, ecological, and epistemological domains. the authors propose alternative approaches to address these challenges that prioritize participation, sustainability, and interdependence. these approaches have been applied in various real-life contexts, from worker cooperatives to environmental conservation, and have the potential to create more equitable, sustainable, and socially responsible forms of technology and innovation.

readings summary_¶

//reading1_design-as-participation_¶

by: kevin slavin

introduction:

the design has traditionally been seen as a top-down process, with designers dictating solutions to problems.
the authors argue that design should be more participatory, with all stakeholders having a say in the design process.

participation:

they define participation as the act of engaging with others in a shared process of making meaning and taking action.
they argue that participation is necessary for effective design, as it ensures that all voices are heard and all perspectives are taken into account.

technology:

the authors discuss the role of technology in participatory design, noting that it has both positive and negative effects.
they argue that technology can facilitate participation, but it can also exclude certain groups and reinforce power imbalances.

collaboration:

the authors discuss the importance of collaboration in participatory design.
they argue that collaboration requires a willingness to listen to others, a willingness to compromise, and a recognition of the value of diverse perspectives.

ethics:

the authors discuss the ethical considerations of participatory design, including issues of power, representation, and accountability.
they argue that ethical principles must guide participatory design to ensure that it is inclusive, equitable, and socially responsible.

conclusion:

the authors conclude by arguing that participatory design is necessary for creating solutions that are truly responsive to the needs of all stakeholders.
they call for a shift away from top-down design approaches and toward a more inclusive, collaborative, and ethical design practice.

//reading2_a history of the world in seven cheap things¶

by: jason-w.-moore

introduction:

the authors argue that capitalism is a world ecology, a social and ecological system that has shaped the world over the past 500 years.
they propose a new way of understanding the history of capitalism by looking at seven “cheap things” that have been central to its development.

nature:

the first “cheap thing” is nature, which capitalism has exploited and transformed through practices such as colonialism, deforestation, and fossil fuel extraction.
the authors argue that capitalism has relied on cheap nature to sustain growth and profits.

labor:

the second “cheap thing” is labor, which capitalism has exploited through practices such as slavery, colonization, and the suppression of workers’ rights.
the authors argue that capitalism has relied on cheap labor to keep production costs low and profits high.

money:

the third “cheap thing” is money, which capitalism has created and manipulated through practices such as currency devaluation, financial speculation, and debt.
the authors argue that capitalism has relied on cheap money to fuel economic growth and expand markets.

care:

the fourth “cheap thing” is care, which capitalism has exploited through practices such as the unpaid labor of women and the privatization of healthcare and education.
the authors argue that capitalism has relied on cheap care to reproduce labor and sustain the economy.

food:

The fifth “cheap thing” is food, which capitalism has transformed through practices such as mono-culture farming, the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and the globalization of food production.
the authors argue that capitalism has relied on cheap food to sustain the growth of cities and the expansion of markets.

energy:

the sixth “cheap thing” is energy, which capitalism has extracted and consumed through practices such as coal mining, oil drilling, and nuclear power.
the authors argue that capitalism has relied on cheap energy to power industrialization and urbanization.

raw materials:

the seventh “cheap thing” is raw materials, which capitalism has extracted and exploited through practices such as colonialism, land grabs, and the privatization of natural resources.
the authors argue that capitalism has relied on cheap raw materials to fuel production and growth.

conclusion:

the authors conclude by arguing that the exploitation of these “cheap things” has come at a high cost to people and the planet and that a new approach to economics and ecology is needed to address the social and environmental crises of our time.

//reading3_steps to an ecology of mind¶

by: gregory bateson

introduction:

bateson argues that modern western thought is based on a set of false assumptions that have led to a crisis in the natural world and human society.
he proposes an alternative approach to understanding the world, based on cybernetics and systems theory.

epistemology:

bateson explores the epistemological foundations of western thought, arguing that they are based on a flawed understanding of the relationship between the observer and the observed.
he proposes a new epistemology based on cybernetics, which emphasizes the relationship between systems and the feedback loops that connect them.

form:

bateson discusses the importance of form in understanding complex systems, arguing that form is the key to understanding the relationship between the parts and the whole.
he proposes a new approach to understanding form based on the concept of the “pattern that connects.”

context:

bateson emphasizes the importance of context in understanding the world, arguing that context determines the meaning of events.
he proposes a new approach to understanding context based on the concept of “ecology of mind,” which emphasizes the interdependence of all living systems.

ethics:

bateson discusses the ethical implications of his approach to understanding the world, arguing that it requires a new way of thinking about the relationship between humans and the natural world.
he proposes a new set of ethical principles based on the concept of “an ecology of ideas,” which emphasizes the interdependence of all systems of thought.

conclusion:

bateson concludes by arguing that his approach to understanding the world requires a fundamental shift in western thought, from a focus on individualism and reductionism to a focus on systems and interdependence.
he calls for a new approach to science and technology that is based on a deep understanding of the relationship between humans and the natural world, and that is guided by ethical principles that promote sustainability and social justice.

i can not hide the fact that chat.gbt was used as aid to write some of the content here :) - secretly an evil tool but ugh so helpful.

__AY

Last update: March 30, 2024