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research_report_theun_karelse [2008-02-21 12:13] – theunkarelseresearch_report_theun_karelse [2008-02-21 12:45] – theunkarelse
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 [[Tsunami Pants]] [[Tsunami Pants]]
      
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 ==== Introduction. ==== ==== Introduction. ====
  
 +== Engaging climate change. ==
 In 2006 Foam shifted its general direction to include Luminous Green strategies of: In 2006 Foam shifted its general direction to include Luminous Green strategies of:
   * environmental sustainability   * environmental sustainability
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 That is the tragedy in which the inventor Martin Brolin is caught in the Tsunamipants project. Martin engages the extreme weather conditions that are associated with future climate changes and tries to engineer his way out-off  danger. In his work Mr. Brolin suffers from lack of expertise, lack of talent, lack of budged, oversized ambition and being over-all mediocre. These are common human traits that run beneath the surface of positive social change. To be able to construct anything realistically and therefor longlasting, I suggest we start by acknowledging that there is nothing inherently wrong with being mediocre. I realise that this goes against giant forces in popular culture, but Martin is deliberately portrayed as a mediocre inventor, although I only later became fully conscious of why I was doing this. That is the tragedy in which the inventor Martin Brolin is caught in the Tsunamipants project. Martin engages the extreme weather conditions that are associated with future climate changes and tries to engineer his way out-off  danger. In his work Mr. Brolin suffers from lack of expertise, lack of talent, lack of budged, oversized ambition and being over-all mediocre. These are common human traits that run beneath the surface of positive social change. To be able to construct anything realistically and therefor longlasting, I suggest we start by acknowledging that there is nothing inherently wrong with being mediocre. I realise that this goes against giant forces in popular culture, but Martin is deliberately portrayed as a mediocre inventor, although I only later became fully conscious of why I was doing this.
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 ==== Context ==== ==== Context ====
-== Climate Change. ==+== Inconvenience. ==
 This research was undertaken in the middle of the Climate Change debate. A seminal event that shapes the discussions in this topic was Al Gore's documentary 'An Inconvenient Truth.' It forces the debate into negative arguments that closely follow the Christian tradition of Man as the species fallen from Grace, which now has to repent. ((Michael Braungart at Utrecht Manifest feb. 2008)) This research was undertaken in the middle of the Climate Change debate. A seminal event that shapes the discussions in this topic was Al Gore's documentary 'An Inconvenient Truth.' It forces the debate into negative arguments that closely follow the Christian tradition of Man as the species fallen from Grace, which now has to repent. ((Michael Braungart at Utrecht Manifest feb. 2008))
 What adds to the feelings of despair around these issues is the complicated nature of environmental and social problems and solutions. There are seemingly endless secondary effects and influences hidden beneath the surface of discussions. What adds to the feelings of despair around these issues is the complicated nature of environmental and social problems and solutions. There are seemingly endless secondary effects and influences hidden beneath the surface of discussions.
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 If we want to look at sustainable ways of living we should look at the lowest classes in  society. I suspect the higher classes have been living in unsustainable patterns for longer. If we want to look at sustainable ways of living we should look at the lowest classes in  society. I suspect the higher classes have been living in unsustainable patterns for longer.
  
 +== Positive change. ==
 Recently some advocates of change based on positive arguments have become more visible such as the 'Slow-Food'-movement, the 'Cradle-toCradle' and 'Permaculture' design principles. These forces originate from the possibility of improving the quality of life, this includes of course other life-forms besides humans.((VPRO-Tegenlicht documentary series)) Recently some advocates of change based on positive arguments have become more visible such as the 'Slow-Food'-movement, the 'Cradle-toCradle' and 'Permaculture' design principles. These forces originate from the possibility of improving the quality of life, this includes of course other life-forms besides humans.((VPRO-Tegenlicht documentary series))
  
-  * brief summary of the cultural/scientific/social/economic context within which the research is applicable +== Tsunamipants applied in a society of risks. ==
- +
-== Society and risk. ==+
 Western society has put increasing efforts into the elimination of risk. Populations are kept safe by systems of regulations, by insurance and by law. This is perhaps another source of 'transcendental boredom'? Certainly people set new limits when risks are eliminated; car safety has dramatically changed diving behaviour. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_perception|Chauncey Starr]] found that people accept risks 1000 times greater if they are voluntary (driving a car) than if they are involuntary (nuclear disaster). And when something bad happens, the focus of attention seems to be on finding out who is responsible.  Western society has put increasing efforts into the elimination of risk. Populations are kept safe by systems of regulations, by insurance and by law. This is perhaps another source of 'transcendental boredom'? Certainly people set new limits when risks are eliminated; car safety has dramatically changed diving behaviour. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_perception|Chauncey Starr]] found that people accept risks 1000 times greater if they are voluntary (driving a car) than if they are involuntary (nuclear disaster). And when something bad happens, the focus of attention seems to be on finding out who is responsible. 
  
 +== Precautionary principle. ==
 The elimination of risk can slow down society when attention goes only to possible negative out-comes. This is the Precautionary Principle, it says, in essence, 'when in doubt, don't.' The 1998 Wingspread Statement on the Precautionary Principle summarizes the principle this way: //"When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically."// ((The Wingspread Conference on the Precautionary Principle was convened by the Science and Environmental Health Network)) The Precautionary Principle, Al Gore's sustainability and Pre-emtive Strike are examples that demonstrate reflexive modernization. Philosophies like this cause the stupid instructions on rear-view mirrors. The elimination of risk can slow down society when attention goes only to possible negative out-comes. This is the Precautionary Principle, it says, in essence, 'when in doubt, don't.' The 1998 Wingspread Statement on the Precautionary Principle summarizes the principle this way: //"When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically."// ((The Wingspread Conference on the Precautionary Principle was convened by the Science and Environmental Health Network)) The Precautionary Principle, Al Gore's sustainability and Pre-emtive Strike are examples that demonstrate reflexive modernization. Philosophies like this cause the stupid instructions on rear-view mirrors.
  
 +== Social risk positions. ==
 Ulrich Beck has discerned two main types of risks: Ulrich Beck has discerned two main types of risks:
   * external risks: natural disasters.   * external risks: natural disasters.
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 Douglas and Wildavsky's Cultural Theory of Risk discerns four types of people: Douglas and Wildavsky's Cultural Theory of Risk discerns four types of people:
-Hierarchists, who fear those risks that threaten the ordering of society. +  * Hierarchists, who fear those risks that threaten the ordering of society. 
-Egalitarians, who use risk for social cohesion. +  * Egalitarians, who use risk for social cohesion. 
-Individualists, who fear the collapse of the market. +  * Individualists, who fear the collapse of the market. 
-Fatalists, who feel it is all inevitable.+  * Fatalists, who feel it is all inevitable.
  
 +== International organisations. ==
 Switzerland has even formed an International Risk Governance Council (IRGC) Switzerland has even formed an International Risk Governance Council (IRGC)
 'The IRGC is an independent organisation whose purpose is to help the understanding and management of emerging global risks that have impacts on human health and safety, the environment, the economy and society at large. IRGC’s work includes developing concepts of risk governance, anticipating major risk issues and providing risk governance policy recommendations for key decision makers.' 'The IRGC is an independent organisation whose purpose is to help the understanding and management of emerging global risks that have impacts on human health and safety, the environment, the economy and society at large. IRGC’s work includes developing concepts of risk governance, anticipating major risk issues and providing risk governance policy recommendations for key decision makers.'
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 == The myth of happiness. == == The myth of happiness. ==
-Just as at the court of Louis the 14th introversion was unthinkable, in our society happiness is a must.((Nexus #46)) It is all fun. The Disneyfication of society deals exclusively with positive aspects of life and fits seamlessly with modernistic fears and precautions. Root to Disneyfication and risk perception is the fundamental proposition that problem should not be. They exist to be eliminated and should be got rid off as soon as possible. In tackling problems the common strategy is based on imagining a more positive altered future. This process usually only reshapes the problem, because all your actions are shaped directly by the problem, making sure it keeps on existing in new forms. What really eliminates problems is finding ways of being the needed change now, to imagine new ways of being.+Just as at the court of Louis the 14th introversion was unthinkable, in our society happiness is a must.((Nexus #46)) It is all fun. The Disneyfication of society deals exclusively with positive aspects of life and fits seamlessly with modernistic fears and precautions. Root to Disneyfication and risk perception is the fundamental proposition that problem should not be. They exist to be eliminated and should be got rid off as soon as possible. In tackling problems the common strategy is based on imagining a more positive, altered future. This process usually only reshapes the problem, because all your actions are shaped directly by the problem, making sure it keeps on existing in new forms. What really eliminates problems is finding ways of being the needed change now, to imagine new ways of being.
  
-  * description of how the work relates to other works in the field of inquiry.+Martin Brolin exemplifies the design strategy where solutions only change the problem to a new form. That is what makes the inventions funny. Basically Tsunamipants are a design statement, it shows with traps not to fall into. 
 + 
 +== Related projects. == 
 + 
 +[[Tsunami Pants]] is embedded in the European tradition of the drawn narrative. There is a long tradition of mad-scientist and eccentric inventors in fiction. There are other art and design projects, that tackle the same problem.\\ 
 +Some are closely related, use humor like: 
 +  * The Yesmen, made the survivaball. 
 +  * Troy Hurtubise, made the Grizzly and Troyan suits. 
 +Others are more loosely related, and serious like: 
 +  * Adam Whinton and Yolita Nugent's project 'no-contact' selfdefence jacket for women. 
 +  * Intercative clothes by, XS-lab, Despina and Papadopoulos or Hussein Chalayan.
  
-[[Tsunami Pants]] is embedded in the European tradition of the drawn narrative. 
  
  
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-  * concise summary of the problem domain/s that the research explores, or the specific aims of the research undertaken.+== The problem domain.==
  
 Since last year (2006) FoAM is adapting to a working method and living method that reduces our negative impact on living conditions for life on Earth. We are aware of the great need for this to happen, not just for members of our organization but for society as a whole. We would like to activate others to reduce their damage to the biosphere and society too. So at some point, and it has already arrived, our organization is going to communicate about issues concerning these environmental and social crises. Since last year (2006) FoAM is adapting to a working method and living method that reduces our negative impact on living conditions for life on Earth. We are aware of the great need for this to happen, not just for members of our organization but for society as a whole. We would like to activate others to reduce their damage to the biosphere and society too. So at some point, and it has already arrived, our organization is going to communicate about issues concerning these environmental and social crises.
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 My aim is to show the ridiculous way in which we sometimes go about constructing solutions for climate-change problems. Martin Brolin is created to explore a way of engaging with this crisis in an uplifting way, by showing just such flawed design-strategies. My aim is to show the ridiculous way in which we sometimes go about constructing solutions for climate-change problems. Martin Brolin is created to explore a way of engaging with this crisis in an uplifting way, by showing just such flawed design-strategies.
  
-Saint Francis of Assisi. +
-Giving environmental problems a direct physical presence for people is one of the great obstacles within the debate. Things happen too slow to see and feel, but extreme weather that is associated with climate change is very tangible. Although it is too big to bring to peoples physical reality, like Saint Francis of Assisi often did, extreme weather suits the 'stunt-element' Francis used. And although he did these 'stunts' as a live-show, which may very well be crucial to their success, I will just tell the story of Martin Brolin on paper to start with. And just how far Martin Brolin's activities are going to extend into other media and reality, will become apparent as the project unfolds.+
  
  
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