Assignment#2

      Donella H Meadows makes the assertion that to understand Systems a complementing sort of descriptive language is needed. She makes the point that because systems happen all at once and compares them to a zoo in which individual processes are the animals that are all active and present simultaneously. She explains that the systems view is often hindered by a resistance to change of policy. At first these hindrances were called system traps, but the term has fallen out of use. Proponents of the system view prefer to look at problems as opportunities for innovation. The successful design and implementation of a system is owed to an ability to have a broad view and to see problems with a “human lens” as opposed to with a linear perspective.

      The “Story of Stuff” brings up some interesting points. It is disturbing to know that the US makes up 5% of the world population yet uses 30% of the planets resources. Its also sad to think that in a market economy, people in undeveloped countries who don’t buy or sell goods are regarded as not having value. Its frustrating to know that a term like planned obsolescence exists, and that the designers of consumer goods are deliberately offering up products that are intended to fail just to perpetuate the linear shop-discard routine. Its almost as if being a consumer is inevitable and there is in fact little that people in a capitalist economy can do to avoid it. However the idea of perceived obsolescence is something that can easily be broken away from. Its alot to do with suppressing the ego, just because the neighbor has some better, sexier versions of our stuff shouldn’t make us feel self conscious. The problem as this video has presented, is that our economy of commerce would love nothing more that for all of us to be impulsive shoppers, however, the depletion of finite natural resources and degradation of human life in the “third world” are factors that make it impossible for this to continue indefinitely. The solution it is suggested, is a sustainable System of materials economy.

My experience in sustainability is limited at best. Sure I turn the lights off when not in the room, recycle grocery store bags as trash-bin liners, save packets of ketchup…but beyond that I’m rather clueless. I hope to gain a deeper knowledge of what sustainability really means through this course. Currently I can understand a bit of how sustainability pertains to agricultural and environmental practices, but am curious as to how it can be applied in other sciences and arts.

John Seely Brown’s talk on manners of education has begun to sate that curiosity. Brown discusses the differences between what he calls “sage on a stage” sytle of teaching to a peer-based method of education. His research is compelling, and sparks some interesting questions about the necesity of expensive real world institutions that could easily be replaced by digital meeting places via the internet. It can be argued that real world schools are still in use largely to fulfill social purposes, however when it comes to hands on learning and experimentation the equipment and funding schools can provide a student are imperative.