Teen fear drives the pop charts - study

CIVIC CITY

the revised abstract.

hi team,
below is the new abstract. i left it pretty much how we had it in the meeting, except, i got an email from Caroline suggesting a few changes, so i tried to work those in aswell. (so that should explain the seemingly random additions of words like 'developed world'.
so i changed a little bit to make it fit better with her suggestions.

i'm pleased with it though, it reads better now,
and joel, you'll be pleased to discover one of caroline's suggestions meant that 'free market economic' bit in the middle got simplified to quite a degree.

MATT, i added a sentence to yours to give it some context, also, i've put some words in italics i think you could do without, they don't seem entirely necessary.

let me know what you think. cheers.

“[Visual Communication] is one of the most persuasive forces on earth... People who create [it] wield a great deal of power… Along with this power comes the moral responsibility to examine it." (Edwards, 2005).

Critical observers such as Alain De Botton (2001), De Graaf et. al (2001), Hamilton & Dennis (2005) argue that traits such as apathy, complacency, narcissism, nihilism and willful ignorance have become common place in contemporary societies. Moreover, they suggest that these traits perpetuate the dominant paradigm of consumerism in developed and developing countries. Consumerism is, in their view, a flawed system, rife with environmental, humanitarian, moral and ecological issues.

This research project will focus on how visual communication can influence a positive change in human consciousness. It will explore whether promoting alternative values like empathy, critical thought and holistic thinking can cause a resultant shift in dominant culture.

The following points outline individual responses to this topic:

Firstly, Joel intends to investigate how games can be used to influence and inform social attitudes instead of teaching “primal skills that are becoming increasingly irrelevant to social development" (Koster, 2005). Joel's gameplay designs will be influenced by Kohlberg’s (1970) theories and observations of social development.

Secondly, Leon will examine how visual communication can be used to encourage ‘empathic altruism’ (Post et al., 2002). in place of narcissism. Furthermore, he will attempt to illustrate the effect this should have on individuals’ consumption habits.

Finally, Matt intends to investigate how visual narrative can be used to inspire shifts in the human psyche and instil longevity in ones sense of accountability and resolve. The context for his narrative will be informed by studying historical precedents that share similar themes. For example, Spirited Away by Hayao Miyazak (2001).

In summary, Ghandhi (1936) once said that you "must be the change you see in the world". But, as visual communicators, we have a responsibility to do even more. If we intend to change a system rife with ecological and humanitarian issues, we have to propagate—and be the catalyst for—the change we want to see in the world.

so yeah, matt, the bits in italics: delete or no?

the book i was on about

Altruism and Altruistic Love - Science Philosophy and Religion in Dialogue

Matts Focus for the communal abstract

Matt intends to investigate how visual narrative can be used to help inspire shifts in the human psyche with the intention of instilling longevity in ones sense of accountability and resolve.

this is an exert from an article that i found, its a VERY pessimistic look at democracy, but i think it has one interesting concept which is we are made to feel like we're in control when we're actually not. This idea of pacifying people by giving them a little or the illusion of what they want, seems to be a common trait in controlling people and pacifying their cause.

people to make all of the decisions, while letting us common people feel like we're doing something by going to a polling place every couple of years and pulling a lever that, in reality, has about the same effect as the darkness knob on your toaster. We can simultaneously feel like we're in charge while being contained enough that we can't cause any real monkey mayhem once we fly into one of our screeching, arm-flapping monkey frenzy.

@matt

hey matt, i thoughut this might help you argue your stance on escapism. where to draw the line on where it is good or bad behaviour, ie at which point does it help perpetuate nihilsm and apathy?

I believe that it’s largely the fantastical elements of the entertainment industry that, when people are absolutely sick of this world, they are looking to escape into in their heads. I’m not a fan of pure escapism, because that doesn’t really help us to do with the problems that are besetting us at the moment. But it does us all a bit of good to have a break from reality just for a while, in a positive way that leaves us refreshed and ready to face to the world again.

Read More http://www.wired.com/underwire/2009/12/alan-moore-dodgem-logic/#ixzz0isBC3xQm

The Millennials: Confident. Connected. Open to Change.

Man I can't believe that I havent posted this link yet. You know how I keep saying that I had this report on millenials and how they(or we) believe they are less moral than previous generations. well I finally got around to looking through the site a bit more. Click on the link and read it now. Then look around the whole site. This is literally a gold mine for us.

http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1501/millennials-new-survey-generational-personality-upbeat-open-new-ideas-technology-bound

this too

http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1515/millennials-panel-one-transcript-portrait-of-the-millennials

Matthews Overdue Central Proposition

This is my second go, i wrote this without looking at my first go as a refference at all, so some amalgimation may happen before I get my final 'Working Central Proposition'. But my comment on Roland Kelts article has help me to identify a point of focus for my working paper. I hope that that focus comes through in my central proposition...



This research project will examine the weakening of the self in modern society. Focusing upon the Millennial generation's self declared weak morality [PEW research, 2010] and in the rise of Otaku culture, this paper will attempt to examine where our strengths and weakness now lie. Rather than argue that we must live as repressed and virtuous saints, inhuman and lost to martyrdom, or live as animals of instinct, disregarding man-kinds history and anthropology, this project will explore, at its root, sensible courses of action towards the continued survival of man-kind.

"The University has incubated a certain typeface of mind. It is one indentured to citation, the approbations of authorities, and slavishness to the ideas in vogue. I think even clever young people, aspirant writers, poets, artists and the like, fall into the webs of trendiness they think they are hacking through as jungle vine with a machete. It is this coyish build of mind, this ineffectual nature and reliance on moot causes, that is seeding a generation of intellectuals who will all be equally impotent with the problems they pretend to face." [ Douglas Haddow, 2010, Adbusters #88: The Post - Post Modern Issue]

With a time limit being put on society to change and adapt enough to deliver our planets salvation, are claims of liberation and progress nothing more than time wasting, post modern anarchism's that expose the impotency of societies current ideology's? Are the intellectuals of the world caught in an eddy against this impotency? As we enter this new technologically driven paradigm do we have the mental strength to evolve our society accordingly?

This paper will propose that the liberation of censorship is no longer an admirable cause towards a more evolved society, but a weapon used to exploit and co-modify humanities shameful desires like the resources of our planet. This paper will also propose that the championing of moral erosion is nothing more than the corporate entity's desire to see themselves reflected in other legal entities that surround them, and by that I mean the public.

SUPERFLAT

http://www.hirokiazuma.com/en/texts/superflat_en1.html

"Alexandre Kojeve, a French philosopher who published the reading of Hegelian historical philosophy, is often referred to because he interpreted the Japanese Edo era as a precursor of the postmodern society after the "End of History". Roland Barthes, another French critic, also depicted Japanese tradition as a realization of postmodernism.

The word "postmodern" or " postmodernity" has been widely used to analyze the cultural phenomena after 1970s. Two typical points are often discussed in its context. One is the argument by a French philosopher, Jean-Francois Lyotard. He argued that in the postmodern era "the grand Narrative" which had unified the entire system of knowledge disappears, and that the unity of society is broken up into a lot of various "small narratives" or cultural communities. Jean Baudrillard, a French sociologist, makes the other point. He argued that the modern distinction between the original and the copy, the real and the image, is already lost, and that everything becomes simulacrum in the postmodern era. The former emphasizes its political or social change while the latter is rather aesthetical or cultural discussion, but these two arguments are eventually supported by the same intuition. In the postmodern era, after the 1960s or 1970s, our society is little by little losing the value of "Depth", the value of something behind the visible or perceptible things we are confronted with in our dairy lives. It may be God, Truth, Justice, Nation, Ideology or Subject depending on the cultural context and all such "grand" things are now losing its credibility --- so say postmodernists. Therefore, we can say that the concept of superflat is exactly and typically postmodernist."

The essay is in two parts and contains some very important information and explanations,  especially for my focus area which is quickly becoming the Otaku culture of Japan.

Quickie on abstract

I used the "to find if ... can be done"/"discover whether or not" in class and Caroline gave a reply something like "Your answer: Yes. Of course ... can be done."
So you may want to reword your bit Leon ;) Focus on 'investigating how' or something.
Try this in the abstract:

Secondly, Joel will investigate the communicative power of videogames and gameplay in informing social attitudes.
And Finally, Leon intends to investigate how visual communication can be used to encourage true empathy and ...

SEVEREN SUZUKI UN EARTH SUMIT '92

afluenza

"Never before have our emerging environmental crises been laid out so clearly before us. Rather than shouting from the fringes, respected economists, scientists, and politicians are sounding the warnings in high-profile journals and the halls of government -- warnings that our oceans are dying, that the ice shelves are melting, and that we are setting ourselves up for the most massive and devastating market failure humanity has ever seen.
So we recycle our garbage. We vote greener. We buy sleek, new hybrid cars and fill our houses with energy-efficient light bulbs. And we put our money and faith in the brave and ingenious technologies that will rescue us from the whirlwind.
But it won't be enough. Because this is not, fundamentally, a technological problem. Nor is it, fundamentally, a political problem. This is a problem of appetites, and of narcissism, and of self-deceit. The planet is breaking, and it is breaking under the weight of our hunger for more. To reform the world we must first reform ourselves."

retrieved from: http://whitedwarf.org/affluenza/ on 24/3/10

this is worded quite nicely.

here's a trial for the abstact

Visual Communication has the power to influence minds (Refe´, 2005). and with that power comes the burden to do so responsibly.
In society today [traits like] apathy, complacency, nihilism, ignorance and indifference have become commonplace. In fact, as De Botton (2001) suggests these are some of the very traits that perpetuate consumerism - the current dominant paradigm, rife with environmental, humanitarian, moral and ecological issues.
This research project will focus on whether visual communication can influence a positive change in mass consciousness, by promoting [by giving social currency to] values like empathy, critical thought, holistic thinking etc with the intent of causing a resultant shift in the dominant.
The following outline individual responses to this topic:
Firstly, Matt intends to research whether visual narrative can be used to effectivey promote critical thikning processes. The context for the narrative will be informed by studying past future projections and social critiques as well as historical precedents of similar intentions [with similar themes].
Secondly, Joel intends to research whether or not gaming can be used to influence and inform social attitudes instead of "teaching primal skills that are becoming increasingly irrelevant to social development" (Koster, 2005). Joel's Gameplay designs will be influenced by Kohlberg’s (1970) theories and observations of social development.
And Finally, Leon intends to discover if visual communication can be used to encourage true empathy and

Ghandi (1936) once said "You must be the change you see in the world". Visual communicators have the responsibility do do even more, they have to propagate, and be the catalyst for, the change they want to see in the world....

its not finished yet, but hey, i've got to go to class. let me know what you think.

JAPANAMERICA

Top right is a text by Roland Kelts called Japanamerica (visit the books site) (or read via googlebooks). I am considering using it as one of my chief texts for my research summary and beyond. I've only read some of his book but it seems good so far, and for the most part is relevant to 'social responsability'. Roland Kelts writes for Adbusters and lectures at the University of Tokyo, Japan and splits his time between Tokyo and New York.

I visited his blog and read his latest blog entry (here) and was shocked by the article it leads onto. It talks about the contentious issue of hentai porn and the right of creative freedom. I was so shocked and confused by the opinion expressed in his article that I commented on his blog post (here) and challenged him on a few the points he made (you have to scroll down the page, my comment is the third one down). I am hoping to get a reply from him soon, he will probably rip me apart, but I think it will be interesting to get some objectivity.

Joel's revised CP

/edit/

This research project investigates the communicative power of videogames and gameplay in informing social attitudes. Current debate (Koster, 2005) suggests that most videogames teach primal skills that are becoming increasingly irrelevant to social development in contemporary maturing gamers. This project aims at extending this claim by influencing gameplay mechanic design with Kohlberg’s (1970) theories and observations of social development.

Monkey sphere

here's that article on the monkey sphere i was talking about.
okay, so the article is not as good as i remembered.
but it is interesting, might be worth a read, the guy does end up ranting a lot though.
and i think he's stuck in PoMo land.

but it does raise issues around empathy, and maybe maximum limits? i think he's mistaken though, if we taught people to think of themselves in the shoes of every person their actions might effect, that might create a new form of less self centered empathy?


http://www.cracked.com/article_14990_what-monkeysphere.html

GAmes CAn ChaNge the WorLd

here you go joel:





12:10 is a very interesting point.

Alan Watts on Music and Life

Hey btw Joel, your use of a south park image reminded me of this short clip above. I don't know if its applicable, but it might explain away the baby boomers original intentions where they tried to live in the moment as post modernity so ardently desires its subjects to do.  Fundamentally I agree with the sentiment in this clip, but I fear that people might misunderstand the singing and dancing analogy. I don't think Allan Watts was trying to promote an 'out for yourself' attitude, I think he was more trying to push the idea of defining ones purpose for yourself. Unfortunately I think the latter was lost in corporate and capitalistic obscurity as the Boomers grew up, had children and got careers.

"The reemergence of the grand narrative in the form of global ecological disaster has rendered all forms of postmodern thought dangerous anachronisms." douglas hadlow, Adbusters article

You must be the change you want to see in the world.

"You must be the change you want to see in the world."

Mahahtma Gandhi - Indian political and spiritual leader (1869 - 1948)

also, within 'THE ABSTRACT' hand out we got given, we were confused about what 'a short review of methodologies used' meant. apparently 'research methodologies are things like:
>literature reviews (which is kinda what we've been doing so far)
>historical readings
>content analysis / formal analysis.
which analyse things like: historical style, period style, semiotic analysis and
visual rhetoric

these will inform your stance on your issue and your direction taken.

ABSTRACT STRUCTURE

so here's the structure Caroline gave me to work with for our group abstract:

1.Address that or area of interest
ours is moral resp.

2. make an opening gambit:
ours could be based on this:(something i came up with)

"us designers are agents of change. and therefore, if we believe something needs to change we have a responsibility to change it... to misuse a quote: we have to propagate the change we want to see in the world (Bloggs, 1992)" matt, do you remember where this quote came from?

3.state what the larger issue context is.
eg. "we see that 'this' happens in society and these are the issues we want to address (issue1,issue 2,...ie apathy, ignorance etc)"

4.what is the key issue(s)?
state the key issue

5.What is your response to this issue?
here we outline each of our individual responses. in alphabetical order.
"the following outline the individual responses to this topic: ...."

then we list, in alphabetical order, what our responses are, and how these have been informed by our research methodologies. (these are like really mini individual abstracts not incl. our motivations as they've already been stated. these will feed directly into/from our own central propositions).

6. concluding statement

7. a bibliography


So basically, we state a collective motivation/issue then express what our individual responses to that are.

note: these 'individual responses' HAVE to be shown to be influenced by our individual research.

Lady Gaga is clubbing in the heads of children as if they were seal pups//there can only be one Warhol

Just a small rant I typed up after reading the Lady Gaga related adbusters article:

By recognizing that a movement, era or period is reactionary and is the embodiment of man-kind's need for change and evolution we accept that change is constant. If we accept that change is constant and that truth is subjective and finite, but not immeasurable or neutralized because of this, then it is possible that we will repair the cords of meaning that form the web of society, all the while liberating the web from the confines of a solid shape determined buy its current age. Instead we will be able to use this acknowledged state of flux in society's superstructures to define the very physicality of society. A physicality that will resonate well into future vacillations of the avant-garde and the dominant alike.

Instead of using notion of subjective truth as an excuse to wallow in our soulless filth, we will be able to use this notion to form dynamic resolutions that will, at the very least, keep us alive and in 'the game', kickstarting us away from our possibly apocalyptic direction. Instead of relegating adaptation as a last resort we will be empowered to adapt as we see fit.

My Abstract as of right now

I know this lacks scholarly quotes and could be to biased or naive, its where I have got to so far. I'm still trying to pick the right quotes from scholarly sources to implant around the proposals I make. So here it is:

This illustration project will explore the current state of the human condition in proximity to the on-coming technologically driven paradigm.
It will propose that concurrent to the global ecological disaster we now face, of which implores us all to change and adapt if we are interested in salvation, we face an internal war, a struggle to re-align the psyche of the dominant towards a viably survivable future, a war that must first be fought alone and redefine the notion of the self.
Rather than argue that we must live as repressed and virtuous saints, inhuman and lost to martyrdom, or live as animals of instinct, disregarding mankind’s history and anthropology, this project will explore, at its root, sensible courses of action towards the continued survival of mankind.
To begin to answer and remedy this proposed issue this project will try to identify and address the dichotomy of our collective consciousness by exploring possible systems and mechanisms that may help shepherd the dominant into a more balanced state.
The illustration of the solitary critical thinker with-in a loosely linear narrative will be used to canvas hypothetical rights of passage one must take in order to shake themselves free from the headlights of the post modern movements defunct, nihilistic and exhausted tendencies and re-inject themselves into the cannon of progression.

Abstract: take 1

I like that link you posted Leon (Re: Transitioning Towns), that seems like the ideal course of action that we want people to take (albeit a bit 'radical'. ie: local-only money??). So I would say that it is our aim to encourage critical thinking that would result in such strategies used by those people in the article.

This research project is about critical and objective thinking. The current state of western culture is nihilistic, accepting contemporary culture as the only logical conclusion of post-modernism with not only no power to change, but no reason to, either. Jean Baudrillard argues that there is a resistance to the constructed messages aimed for the masses, in fact a 'hyperlogic' compels the masses to actively resist any constructed message. Therefore, it appears the most difficult part of swaying mass opinion, lies in the communication itself.

The aim of this project is not to address the enormity of any particular global subject. We are not academic researchers or scientists, we are communicators. Through this then, the aim of this research project is to develop methods of communication; so that those that have knowledge can share it, and those that do not, can learn from it.

Hrm, It looks like I ended up discussing a bit of a different argument. It linked together nicely, however, so I'll post it :)
It looks like we're each making a draft. I think that it's okay though, it will help us understand our own interpretation of our group discussion which we can then formulate later.

Joels Central Proposition

So you know where I'm coming from:

This research project is about the medium of video -games and people. Raph Koster (2005) argues in his book ‘The Theory of Fun’ that games are a powerful, but underutilized tool. Currently, most video-games are about violence and skills that would have best trained cavemen: aiming, timing, hunting, territory, projecting power etc. We need to learn more relevant skills: some of our instinctual behaviours are no longer relevant in contemporary culture and games should therefore evolve towards teaching us more relevant skills.

Kohlberg believes that society should try to achieve the highest stage of moral thought, as defined by his 6 stages of moral judgement. Most people obtain to at least the third stage, but through Kohlberg’s methods of discussion they are able to progress further up the stages. Kohlberg’s methods are heavily based on interactive discussion. Noted game designer Chris Crawford argues, in his ‘dragon speech’ (1997), that games have the power of efficient and effective communication. They are able to provide an interactive framework for ‘discussion’, while working on a mass-producible medium.

This research project will therefore merge Kohlberg’s ideals, using his 6 stages as a tangible device, with games for the purpose of raising the individuals’ moral thought ability.

hey team,
so i was going back over what we went over in our first meeting. (re: brainstorms). Back then we had outlined our common theme as "Morality" (in regard to - or in relation to its effect on - Social Responsibility). (although, i think this may need to be extended to include Matt's notion of 'critical thikning'). I also looked at other stuff we'd written down. I came up with this as the start of a more... 'umbrella' abstract.

what we see in mass culture and want to stop/change:
Nihilism, Apathy, Complacency, ignorance
(this has lead to consumer culture taking over the earth, wreaking havoc as it goes/ the current dominant)

how we're gonna do it:
by promoting critical thought, empathy, holistic thinking, love, altruism etc

but how are we gonna do that?
by using visual communication design to promote the value of these virtues in society.

we see the need to change the values which members of society currently pertain to. the current values seem materialistic, short term focused, and self-centered. we see the need to change towards a more self-less, holistic, communal set of values.

us designers are the agents of change. if we believe something needs to change, we therefore have a responsibility to change it. to misuse a quote "we have to propagate the change we want to see in the world."

One way of doing this, we propose, could be to give virtues some sort of social currency: awarding high status to those of us among us who are altruistic, empathetic, critical thinkers etc
(this came from the brainstorm directly, but we dont have to do it, its just a thought)

to do this we will study historical precedents of movements/ideals of the same nature. evaluating their successes and failures, and learning from these mistakes (maybe?)

Moreover:
we (our group) are acutely aware that the only constant is change.
we recognise that the faults we see in the current system may have been necessary at one point in the progression of the human race, but are aspects of it which are no longer needed/relevant/they're outdated/slowing progress. any changes we see as vital now, may no longer apply in time?

i liked this article, not directly related, just encouraging

http://www.newint.org/features/2010/03/01/post-carbon-world/

HI, broaden our scope

no offense to anyone, but i think, at times, when we were discussing our 'group' abstract, it was becoming focused on individuals assignments, (which might have been good for its development) but i think now we need to broaden it slightly to incorporate all our ideas. i found as i was trying to write it i kept getting torn between what matt wanted to say and what i wanted to say, it's hard to find a happy medium.

i dont know if there's any point in actually posting this up here, i suppose what im trying to say is: i think we,, myself included, need to take into account what other people want to do when trying to form this group abstract. maybe its a good idea if we each post our individual central propositions up, that way we can make sure they're all incorporated. :D

Whiteboard

Here's a bad stitch of yesterdays whiteboard. Click to enlarge

brainstorms.

here are the scribblings from my workbook from the first meeting. hope you can make sense of them.

JFL: Lady Gaga

Just to confirm a couple of things from this article on adbusters (Here)

Gaga refers to her music as “soulless electronic pop” and says things like “we’ve already killed everything” and “the apocalypse has already happened.” Her sensational aesthetic has a divisive effect and tends to generate one of two reactions: She is either the most awful, most infuriating cretin ever to crawl out of corporate entertainment, or she’s an ingenious Warholian synthesis of David Bowie and Madonna with admirable Jay-Z-style business savvy. 

Lady Gaga defends her Soulless electronic pop
Last FM tagged

We discussed this eysterday: she's walking a similar line to Andy Warhol, but from what we can tell - she's way on the otherside of that line. As Matt said, Andy Warhol had a certain ambiguity about his work - which allowed a social commentary, whereas it seems Lady Gaga is just plain meaningless - embracing the meaningless.

For this idea I had a possible argument that we could use: While Lady Gaga is a logical conclusion of the post-modern - resulting in a comfortable, rich, fame kind of lifestyle many of us aspire to; it is not the only possible conclusion.
And given a choice, what would you choose?

Hello. here are some of the scribblings from our meeting today, have fun with them

number one:
WHAT: what are you researching?


This research will investigate the human psyche and it's role in the [propagation] [disposition] of the dominant. (Williams).




a dichotomy between thought and action.
WHY: why do we want to do this?

distopian... a nihilistic, apathetic dominant entrenched in it capitalistic comforts

the current state of society

society seems to be heading


who: target audience

other designers. consumers.



how: methods of application

game. illustration. ???

examining the dichotomies of current society in order to isolate points of entry where designers can propagate/influnce/create systems or mechanisms that can be divisive in the shepherding of the dominant.

wont get a defensive reaction

number two:

The dominant system of thought is controlled by individuals.

the dominant culture at present is in dire need of change, it has perpetuated the consumer society and and capitalist economy that is rooting the world culturally, environmentally and, ecologically.

the selfishness has to move towards selflessness.

human

the current culture is stagnant

the dominant system of thought needs to adapt and is always fluid(and always does?)


the state of human consciousness needs to change. zeitgeist

The human psyche

Humanism...

MAtt: you were talking about a moral future right? Well, this is a bunch of stuff i looked into on Humanism, and pulled out some stuff i thought interesting.

I think i found this interesting because it talks about establishing a moral code that transcends the diversities that religion can create.

You can check out the website here and read manifestos and stuff if you're interested.
http://www.americanhumanist.org/

Working to benefit society maximizes individual happiness

Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without supernaturalism, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity.

Contemporary Humanism entails a qualified optimism about the capacity of people, but it does not involve believing that human nature is purely good or that all people can live up to the Humanist ideals without help. If anything, there is recognition that living up to one's potential is hard work and requires the help of others. The ultimate goal is human flourishing; making life better for all humans, and as the most conscious species, also promoting concern for the welfare of other sentient beings and the planet as a whole. The focus is on doing good and living well in the here and now, and leaving the world a better place for those who come after.

We appreciate the need to preserve the best ethical teachings in the religious traditions of humankind, many of which we share in common. But we reject those features of traditional religious morality that deny humans a full appreciation of their own potentialities and responsibilities. Traditional religions often offer solace to humans, but, as often, they inhibit humans from helping themselves or experiencing their full potentialities. Such institutions, creeds, and rituals often impede the will to serve others. Too often traditional faiths encourage dependence rather than independence, obedience rather than affirmation, fear rather than courage. While there is much that we do not know, humans are responsible for what we are or will become. No deity will save us; we must save ourselves.

Other ideologies also impede human advance. Some forms of political doctrine, for instance, function religiously, reflecting the worst features of orthodoxy and authoritarianism, especially when they sacrifice individuals on the altar of Utopian promises. Purely economic and political viewpoints, whether capitalist or communist, often function as religious and ideological dogma. Although humans undoubtedly need economic and political goals, they also need creative values by which to live.

The world community must engage in cooperative planning concerning the use of rapidly depleting resources. The planet earth must be considered a single ecosystem. Ecological damage, resource depletion, and excessive population growth must be checked by international concord. The cultivation and conservation of nature is a moral value; we should perceive ourselves as integral to the sources of our being in nature. We must free our world from needless pollution and waste, responsibly guarding and creating wealth, both natural and human. Exploitation of natural resources, uncurbed by social conscience, must end.

FIFTEENTH: The problems of economic growth and development can no longer be resolved by one nation alone; they are worldwide in scope. It is the moral obligation of the developed nations to provide - through an international authority that safeguards human rights - massive technical, agricultural, medical, and economic assistance, including birth control techniques, to the developing portions of the globe. World poverty must cease. Hence extreme disproportions in wealth, income, and economic growth should be reduced on a worldwide basis.

We urge that parochial loyalties and inflexible moral and religious ideologies be transcended. We urge recognition of the common humanity of all people. We further urge the use of reason and compassion to produce the kind of world we want - a world in which peace, prosperity, freedom, and happiness are widely shared

Thus, we are not advocating the use of scientific intelligence independent of or in opposition to emotion, for we believe in the cultivation of feeling and love.

Leon' Abstract

hi,
I'm happy with the look and whatever, dont really mind. but is there anyway we can make the column width for the text thinner? i find it laborious reading all the way from one side of the page to the other.

does anyone know if its possible to link this blog to the one i already have, so anything posted on one automatically updates the other?

anyway, here's my last post on my other blog (it includes my abstract thing we did in class)


"this is my first attempt at an abstract:

Love, and and it's Discontents

This graphic design project will focus primarily on love: love for others and the love for the self, and where these sit in relation to the contemporary consumer society in which we find ourselves. In Status Anxiety, Alain De Botton (2004). suggests that consumerism is perpetuated by our desire for love and affirmation from others. By researching both historical and contemporary philosophical rhetoric concerning this matter (ie. love), this project will question the legitimacy of De Botton's proposition. Furthermore, this project will attempt to examine how visual communication has been used to promote and propagate love. Ultimately, it will question whether promoting love, and related virtues (eg. selflessness and empathy) through Visual Communication can have a positive impact on the society in which we live today. Can, for example, making individuals feel loved slow the insatiable appetite we have for consumable goods?

I think maybe i'd like to focus more on apathy or moral code more. here are some scratchings at apathy:

Attack on Apathy

This graphic design project will focus on Apathy: what causes it and what can one do to negate it, can promoting love, selflessness and empathy do anything towards solving this issue? Does Visual Communication, one of the mediums that is in part responsible for mass apathy (Adorno, 1947) have any relevance in providing a solution for this matter.

In class yesterday, Joel talked about a book he'd been reading called Social & Personality DEvelopment (i think). in it he'd found a couple of chapters on "Altruism and Pro-social Behaviour". This sounded interesting to me. Some things joel mentioned made me want to, perhaps, focus more on my apathy.

After that, Matt commented on research he'd done. he said he'd read an article where it stated that our generation (cant remember the name) felt almost unanimously like their generation cared drastically less about morals (ie were less moral) than their parents'.

Both their topics sounded interesting to me, and i'm looking forward to being in a group with them."

THE HUMAN ECOSYSTEM vs THE GOOD CITIZEN

I think we risk entering dangerous grounds by using analogies such as the 'human ecosystem'. I feel it is not personable enough, it is characterized as a scientific phrase by the use of the word 'ecosystem', which will immediately inspire skepticism and increase peoples tendancy to alleviate their guilt by attributing their way of life to scientifically proven truisms. Basically it is easy for one to remove themselves from the analogy as it focus's on society holistically instead of the self.The word ecosystem itself suggests complexity, fragility, stability/instability, life, survival e.t.c which is perfect for our topic, however it is codified. We understand it because we have just been researching social responsibility for the past few weeks. But if I try to think objectively about the meaning of the 'human ecosystem' and the connotations the expression would hold for someone who was freshly introduced to it then things like 'strata of class', 'theory only' and 'culturally biased' spring to mind. Besides, doesn't the 'human ecosystem' basically mean the 'human society' as the meaning of the word society encompasses all elements of the word 'ecosystem'.

If we were wanting to communicate a sense of foreboding, fragility, complexity, a connection with the natural world and universal importance then wouldn't the phrase 'Human Life' be more appropriate/universally understood/vivid/emotive/commanding/personable?

As for the good citizen, well I love the sentiment of this quote by Ghandi:

“You must be the change you want to see in the world.”

But its far to wet, far to idealistic and alludes to effort and sacrifice. Its like Dekart said, bad things are easy to obtain and god things are hard to obtain. The ideal of self sacrifice and restriction of ones self for the benifit of others does not have a place in the capitalist framework. This ideal should, by now, be public policy if we are going to sucsessfully co-inhabit the world with up to 15 billion other people. Might it be that we as designers have to perform 'cultural therapy' and use our design rhetoric and powers of persuasion to shepperd the dominant towards a more viable societal structure (e.g lifestyle, cultural and racial divides.attitudes, the natural world etc) introduce some socialist values as public policy and demonize some of the consequences of the capitalist agenda like unrestrained progress and efficiency? Do we label consumption as a problem of the state or the individual?