Influx

A discussion between Worldchanging’s Alex Staffen and author Bruce Sterling closed last week’s SXSW Festival. It was a highly provocative discussion that posed lots of questions about the global development, design and consumption. They both believe that if creative people apply themselves, many of these problems can be solved.

Some of the interesting facts and ideas coming out of the discussion included;

- The world is building a city the size of Seattle every 7.5 days
- We should be sharing more things like cars and washing machines
- Leapfrogging- why build power grids or telephone networks when you can go straight to solar power and wireless?
- If everything is traceable-with smartbarcodes we can move to a cradle to grave lifecycle management- everything will have a permanent barcode and could be Goggled

Video segment here

Bruce Sterling concluded the discussion:

“Our society needs a victory condition. It’s in a completely reactive mode. But we are going to be transformed. I’m talking 30-60 year time-span. Environmental problems are slow and chronic. But we need to learn how to play and win. And almost all of our problems are infrastructural. We have the fuel problems because we’re committed by fossil fuels. So we have to create a society that no longer relies on that resource. So we’ve got to invent our way around it. And that sounds radical. But what if you were to bring in someone from 30 years ago and have them ask everyone here what they do — they’d have no idea. The words didn’t even exist then. And now they’re huge industries. Computer gaming is bigger than Hollywood now! We really need society to have its creative people get out of bed with a fire to change.”

It’s an interesting thought that perhaps corporate clients could charge their creative agencies with the task of helping them become the champions of change. This means the corporate sponsorship of creatives to apply their imagination and insights to coming up with inspiring solutions to solve global issues, instead of just selling things. Something that could be termed a “New Renaissance”, where corporate patrons sponsor artists to develop new imaginative solutions, with the corporation’s image benefiting from it’s positive actions.

One simple example is the Hipporoller, a fantastic example of ingenuity in action. A simple polyurethane container that allows water to be transported easily and purified at the same time.

Then there is also the Architecture for Humanity project that’s using the skills of Western architects to bring much needed shelter and aid to areas that need it.

There’s potential if a combination of product designers and agency creatives work together to both develop the ideas and market them with support from corporate sponsors.

If anyone from the AIGA, D&AD, One Club, 12, VCU Adcenter or Addy’s is reading, perhaps there is a great idea here.