Posted by kari.petroschmidt
Our decisions and actions are a function of how we experience the world around us. Seeing the world differently takes effort. You have to let go of pre-conceived ideas, you have to question your firmly held beliefs and you have to make a call on what has to be untouchable. Often this last directive is missed, and people end up being a bad copy of something and nothing noticeable. Simply put: use new glasses and new ears and remain true to yourself.
Racism, sexism, you name it, all results of our view of the world. Nowadays we are well aware of this and we are all careful not to adopt any of these views, because we have seen and experienced the harm they can cause. But what about some of the other subtle views and beliefs we hold that we are not really aware of? What if we could see the planet as it really is? What if we could visualise what the population needs more accurately and see how our resources are mismatched?
I like this map of the world that I grabbed off the internet. The source is at www.odt.org/Pictures/sideb.jpg. When we are in space and look at the planet, especially if we do not know where the magnetic pole is (and it is shifting by the way, and not as solid as we all want to believe), there is no reason to put the Arctic at the top. There is no reason for east to be on the right. In fact, the context of left and right are self-imposed by humans to help make sense of the world. It does not exist outside of the frame of human reference. On the map in this post, you can see the real size of Africa, China, India, Australia… It is also good to see where we are in Dunedin – pretty much on top of the world.
I know that my role here at Audacious is to talk about business and operations, but I guess it is also my role to tell you that the world is not what you think it is, in fact, it is really weird. There are people in this world that do not have mobiles and the platforms that we envisage as our product spaces. They are not interested in the new watch from a design centre in Switzerland. In other places there are retired people with the ability to send e-mails from their homes, overlooking the Stockholm Archipelago and that are very interested in modern clothing design, but they have no idea where Dunedin is.
What I am saying is that they are the same and they are different. We all love honest people, and we do not want to be second-guessed. Sometimes we just want peace and quiet and at other times we need the energy that comes from playing. Being able to see what the universal needs are and what we truly value will make us succeed in our endeavours in a sustainable fashion. For that we need to be true to ourselves and not fall for the quick schemes, the dodgy deals and the underhanded tactics that taint our world.
We also need to see the world for what it can be, not for what we are told it is as if it is a fact. Some of these “facts” are nothing more than simple tricks we employ to manipulate what we see so that we can make sense of it and talk about it from a common perspective. It does not mean that we have to believe the symbols. We must see them for what they are – symbols to explain. And sometimes we must invent new symbols to understand our world better.
What if we looked at Dunedin as a place on the top of the world from where we can innovate around design and services? Finland did this and gave us Nokia and many other things within the space of a century. What if your idea is the one that will help us be imaginative in how we interact on the web, or via social networks not on the web? Cooperatives of women in India do this so well.
Put in the effort, redefine your filters, remain true to the positives of the human spirit and reshape the way we see the planet. Invent the new symbols!