WORKNETTING.
By aubreyOctober 17th, 2007
By: Aubrey Stalnaker
I have been thinking intensely for the past few days about what I could contribute to the blog that could be of relevance. I started writing about the idea that students are being rushed to think and design and that it is not just in school, but in the professional realm as well. It occurred to me that I could not make sense of any of this. I moved onto a second draft on the same topic. I found myself getting more and more mad at what I was writing, so I stopped.
Tonight, I had a breakthrough. I was researching design for public spaces and found a project that not only talks about this idea of changing environments, but also a reasoning on why I am having such a hard time writing on this blog. The project is called NOSO. It is a social networking environment where people are disconnected to computers, phones, emails blogs, etc. The system of the project is that participants sign up online and arrange a place to meet. When at the location, they are unable to talk via person to person or by phone. The idea is that through proximity, people can create a disconnected network. If anything, the video on the site is somewhat humorous. Worth checking out.
The conclusions I can make from this breakthrough is that I am overwhelmed by networking. I love meeting new people and communicating with them, but it stresses me out to consistently be worried about contacting one person and calling this other person. The pressure to blog, read, and keep up on who is who, who knows who, and what all these people are doing in the design field is getting to be over the top. I would much rather slow down and do some of these things at my own pace, rather than by force. I think when you are unconsciously thinking about what you have to do, you find answers and end up doing those things unexpectedly.
I purpose that we all take a time out and go on email diets.
NoSo is an organization addressing an issue that is incredibly relevant to design students. Having not been aware of it prior to this post, I find it’s purpose intriguing and quite thought provoking. Existing in a culture where everything and everyone is constantly accessible, the very basis of NoSo seems like a step backward. It’s premise is based upon the complete disconnect from the world around us, suggesting that such a disconnect is necessary if we are to go on with our lives. Of course, NoSo promotes only temporary removal, as it’s users quickly return to their online forums, mobile phones and compulsive email checking soon after the experience has ended. It seems then that the organization is not suggesting that we return to primative means of interacting and communicating, (though I’ve always appreciated the genius behind two tin cans and a string). Rather, they suggest that every once in a while we need a break from such technological means, allowing ourselves time with nothing but our own thoughts.
For many design students, a disconnection from the internet is like loosing a leg. It’s probable that the student will retain the ability to function, though I’m inclined to suggest that his/her progress will advance at a slower pace. (I apologize if my metaphor has offended the legless) Most of us spend the majority of our days on the web. It’s our source of inspiration, our outlet for frustration, and our destination for relaxation. There is no denying that vehicles like flickr, YouTube, del.icio.us, and the bazillion blogs out there have advanced the ways in which students communicate to one another, not to mention increasing the speed of this communication.
But will all of its wonder and advancement, I often tend to think that the web is overpowering other means of discovery. This is a vital issue that design students must be conscious of. It is the human experience that seems to be getting lost. Sure, we can have an instantaneous conversation with someone on the other side of the world, not to mention hear that person’s voice, or see what outfit they are wearing through a video feed. But do we really get a true sense of the person if we’re not sharing the same dimensional space? Likewise, the internet allows us to buy anything and everything with the click of a button, allowing us to shop to our hearts content without ever passing through the front door. Agoraphobics are grateful, but the rest of society is missing out on the human interaction that goes along with a typical shopping excursion. (Again, my apologies if I’ve offended those who suffer from agoraphobia)
I, just as much as the next person, appreciate and value what the internet has provided our culture, acknowledging the many ways it’s existence has advanced graphic design. I would suggest, however, that every once in a while, we look away from our monitor, release the death grip on our wireless mouse, and take note of the world around us. I think we’d all be surprised and inspired by the insights provided through observing the everyday.
That video was pretty Funny but also made a lot of sense. This reminds me of some things we had to think about during my Interactive sound class. We are constantly Surrounded by sounds wherever we go! we constantly have music playing in the background and if were not playing it, someone else is and were hearing it. I believe we need time to sit quietly… silence… its almost lost all meaning these days. Do you ever have silence in you’re day? i know i usually don’t, even when im sleeping my music is running or I can hear the low hmmm of my computers fans. I think this relates to the idea of this Over networking and communicating. We need to sit back and relax and just sit alone in silence. Its the only way we can collect ourselves after going through a day in this overly saturated world of sounds and images.
I would agree with marius. I prefer not only silence but isolation as well. To be alone without any distractions and to be able to reflect upon your thoughts (with or without silence) is one of my favorite methods of relaxation. Also, being an introvert it seems much more natural to me to be alone and to have the time to collect myself (or to just unwind at the end of a day). I know not everyone works this way (some people absolutely need to be around others) but I would urge everyone to step back and shun the outside world, if only for five minutes a day, so you can relax, or at the very least, meditate upon your thoughts.