Difference between revisions of "Holotopia"
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<small>Modernity <em>ideogram</em></small> | <small>Modernity <em>ideogram</em></small> | ||
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[[File:Postman.jpg]]<br><small>Neil Postman</small> | [[File:Postman.jpg]]<br><small>Neil Postman</small> | ||
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<p>"(W)e take the position that the unit of cultural evolution is neither the single gifted individual nor the society as a whole", Mead wrote, "but <em>the small group of interacting individuals</em> who, together with the most gifted among them, can take the next step; then we can set about the task of creating the conditions in which the appropriately gifted can actually make a contribution. That is, rather than isolating potential "leaders," we can purposefully produce the conditions we find in history, in which clusters are formed of a small number of extraordinary and ordinary men and women, so related to their period and to one another that they can consciously set about solving the problems they propose for themselves."</p> | <p>"(W)e take the position that the unit of cultural evolution is neither the single gifted individual nor the society as a whole", Mead wrote, "but <em>the small group of interacting individuals</em> who, together with the most gifted among them, can take the next step; then we can set about the task of creating the conditions in which the appropriately gifted can actually make a contribution. That is, rather than isolating potential "leaders," we can purposefully produce the conditions we find in history, in which clusters are formed of a small number of extraordinary and ordinary men and women, so related to their period and to one another that they can consciously set about solving the problems they propose for themselves."</p> | ||
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| + | <p>As we have seen, and will see, the "single gifted individuals" have already offered us their gifts, already a half-century ago. But their insights failed to incite the kind of self-organization and action that would enable them to make a difference.</p> | ||
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| + | <p>Here the <em>holotopia</em>'s "rule of thumb", to "make things <em>whole</em>", which is really an ethical stance, plays a central role. While we are creating a small 'snowball' and letting it roll, the cohesive force that holds it together is of a paramount importance. We are not developing this project to further our careers; nor to earn some money, or get a grant. We are doing that because it's beautiful. And because it's what we need to give to our next generation.</p> | ||
| + | <p>We are developing the <em>holotopia</em> as (what Gandhi would have called) our "experiments with truth".</p> | ||
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<div class="page-header" ><h2>Tactical assets</h2></div> | <div class="page-header" ><h2>Tactical assets</h2></div> | ||
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<div class="row"> | <div class="row"> | ||
| − | <div class="col-md-3"><h2> | + | <div class="col-md-3"><h2>Before we begin</h2></div> |
| − | <div class="col-md-7"><p> | + | <div class="col-md-7"><p>Before we share the "tactical assets" we've put together to prime the Holotopia project, a couple of notes are in order to explain how exactly we want them to be understood and received.</p> |
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| − | <p> | + | <h3>A 'cardboard model'</h3> |
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| − | </div> </div> | + | <p>While each of these "assets" is created, to the best of our ability, to serve as a lasting template or an actual solution, <em>we do not need to make that claim</em>, and we are not making it. Everything here is just <em>prototypes</em>. Which means models, each made to serve as a "proof of concept", to be experimented with and indefinitely improved.</p> |
| + | <p>Think of what's presented here as a cardboard model of a city. </p> | ||
| + | <p>It includes a 'school', and a 'hospital', a 'main square' and 'residential areas'. The model is complete enough for us to see that this 'city' will be a wonderful place to be in; and to begin building. But as we build—<em>everything</em> can change!</p> | ||
| + | <p>This will all make sense when you consider that the core of our proposal is not to build a city; it is <em>to develop 'architecture'</em>!</p> | ||
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| + | <h3>A 'business plan'</h3> | ||
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| + | <p>No, we are not doing this to start a business, or to make money. But a 'business plan' is still a useful metaphor, because we <em>do</em> "mean business". The purpose of the Holotopia project is <em>to make a difference</em>. In the social and economic reality we are living in.</p> | ||
| + | <p>These "tactical assets" can then also be read as points in a business plan—which point to the realistic <em>likelihood</em> of it all to achieve its goals.</p> | ||
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| + | </div> </div> | ||
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<div class="row"> | <div class="row"> | ||
| − | <div class="col-md-3"><h2><em> | + | <div class="col-md-3"><h2>The <em>mirror</em></h2></div> |
| − | <div class="col-md-7"><p> | + | |
| − | <p> | + | <div class="col-md-7"> |
| − | <p> | + | <p>The <em>mirror</em> metaphor has several interpretations, all of which revolve around the central theme of <em>spistemology</em></p> |
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| + | <h3>A 'magical' way out</h3> | ||
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| + | <p>That there is an unexpected, seemingly magical way into a new cultural and social reality is really good news. But is it realistic?</p> | ||
| + | <p>We here carefully develop the analogy with Galilei's time, when a new <em>epistemology</em> was ready to change the world, but still kept in house arrest. All we need to do is to set it free.</p> | ||
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| + | <h3>The discovery of ourselves</h3> | ||
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| + | <p>The <em>mirror</em> symbolizes the ending of <em>reification</em> (when we see ourselves <em>in the world</em>, we realize that we are not above it and observing it "objectively"); and the beginning of accountability (we see the world in dire need for creative action; and we see our own role in it).</p> | ||
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| + | <p>This insight extends into ending of the <em>reification</em> of our personal preferences, feelings, tastes... <em>What we are able to</em> feel, think, create... is determined, to an astounding degree, by the degree in which our "human quality" has been developed. And our ability to develop it depends in an overwhelming degree on the way in which our culture has been developed.</p> | ||
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| + | <h3>The <em>academia</em>'s situation</h3> | ||
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| + | <p>The <em>mirror</em> symbolizes also the <em>academia</em>'s situation, just as the bus with candle headlights symbolizes our civilization's situation. The point is that the hitherto development of the academic tradition brought us there, in front of the <em>mirror</em>. </p> | ||
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| + | <p>An enormous liberation of our creative abilities results when we realize they must not be confined to traditional disciplinary pursuits and routines. </p> | ||
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| + | <p>Especially important is the larger understanding of <em>information</em> that the self-reflection in front of the <em>mirror</em> brings us to; <em>information</em> is no longer only printed text; it includes <em>any</em> artifacts that embody human experience, refined by human ingenuity. </p> | ||
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</div> </div> | </div> </div> | ||
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<div class="row"> | <div class="row"> | ||
<div class="col-md-3"><h2>[[Holotopia:Five insights|Five insights]]</h2></div> | <div class="col-md-3"><h2>[[Holotopia:Five insights|Five insights]]</h2></div> | ||
| − | <div class="col-md-7"><p>They | + | <div class="col-md-7"><p>They provide us a frame of reference, around which the <em>city</em> is built. They serve as foundation stones, or as 'five pillars' lifting the emerging construction up from the mundane reality, and making it stand out.</p> |
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| + | <p>In our challenge to come through the sensationalist press and reach out to people, each of them is a sensation in its own right; but a <em>real</em> sensation, which merits our attention.</p> | ||
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| + | <p>In our various artistic, research, media... projects—they provide us building material.</p> | ||
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</div> </div> | </div> </div> | ||
Revision as of 11:54, 22 July 2020
Holotopia
Imagine...
You are about to board a bus for a long night ride, when you notice the flickering streaks of light emanating from two wax candles, placed where the headlights of the bus are expected to be. Candles? As headlights?
Of course, the idea of candles as headlights is absurd. So why propose it? Because on a much larger scale this absurdity has become reality.
The Modernity ideogram renders the essence of our contemporary situation by depicting our society as an accelerating bus without a steering wheel, and the way we look at the world, try to comprehend and handle it as guided by a pair of candle headlights.
Modernity ideogram
Our proposal
In a nutshell
The core of our knowledge federation proposal is to change the relationship we have with information.
What is our relationship with information presently like?
Here is how Neil Postman described it:
"The tie between information and action has been severed. Information is now a commodity that can be bought and sold, or used as a form of entertainment, or worn like a garment to enhance one's status. It comes indiscriminately, directed at no one in particular, disconnected from usefulness; we are glutted with information, drowning in information, have no control over it, don't know what to do with it."
Neil Postman