How can we make Social Design effective?
Social design is fascinating, but it's hard to know which actions (or inactions) will have the best or biggest effect. I know that discussing what to do about bad situations is important, and that spreading knowledge and ideas is neccessary. I love discussing and debating things with others, but I worry that discussion without action is just as bad as action without discussion. There needs to be a balance. I'm glad that there are projects being displayed here that appear to be encouraging positive action. It would also be helpful to discuss ways in which we, personally, can "be the change [we] want to see in the world" on a daily basis. This site has potential. I hope it grows.
Created by "Shawna (US)" on 27.11.2007
Last post by "Pauline Murray" on 20.08.2008
Re : How can we make Social Design effective?
Shawna, I think your point about 'discussion without action is just as bad as action without discussion' is an important one. Especially, when one considers the openness in 'defining' social design, which could lead some to think that simply talking about change is enough. It is a start, but it is not enough.
However, I think the talking about the biggest and best effect is a little misguided. It seems to imply that there are some smaller, less effective actions that are not worth doing. For me, social design could be a project or actions that start out small and build up momentum over time or could always remain rather small and localized. On the other hand, there are projects that might attempt to start out 'big'.
I think ultimately, when we decide - collectively or individually - to embark on a project, action or series of actions we should reflect and ask ourselves why we are doing it, who are the intended beneficiaries, what possible 'negative' effects might it have, etc. This action(s) which takes the community, society and fellow humans into consideration and attempts to improve something for the aforementioned is social design and, I believe, inherently effective. This is not an attempt to be semantical but an acknowledgment that placing pre-conceived criteria on the outcome of such a noble act restricts our view of what an effective outcome might be.
Posted by "Neil (Cardiff, Wales) on 27.11.2007"
