A Platform of Participation

[csintexas]

[usarender]

In essence, you are suggesting everything we thinkers are conceiving is "already true", so nothing needs to be created, because it is already here.

We all know this is not the case. As emphasized, the basic ingredients to the new matrix are here. We, as the world, are the ones who must come to a consensus, join forces and enable a new broader vision to appear, one not based on personal interest, on corporate interest, on political, religious, social, economic, single community or localized self interpretation of a global phenomenon. What the world needs and wants is that we all cooperate, dream, conceive together, join our knowledge, experience, abilities, talents, creativity, technical skills to quickly, efficiently and concurrently develop an integrated global structured free 3D world community that will is well directed, functional, objective, participative, intuitive, globally based, globally funded, multi-disciplinary and in total unity. Anything else leads to individual speculation, individual interpretations, individualized effort, and promotion of individual higher priorities.

[csintexas]

There's the problem.

[usarender]

It seems, as being a member of an open forum and community yourself, Inspired Habitat, http://www.inspiredhabitat.com that you would not be posting so many objections but have a more open mind.

Why keep quoting every thought posted here so as to find some point at fault ? What is the purpose of this ?

Collective behavior cannot be predicted. We in the Western world tend to simplify such collective systems.

To understand how these systems work, one must understand the collective behavior of dynamic systems. Too often the reductionist trend in Western science obscures the inter-workings of the system functioning as a whole integral group of individual thinkers and shapers. The many individual parts in these systems induce an emergent behavior not at all apparent in the systems "equations of motion". So we think individually, but act collectively in the global community.

The world is not searching for a magic pill. We are undergoing a revolutionary period of technological development, global change and new ways of human interaction and experience, and technology is becoming more a part of this, with greater realism. This is what is bringing about this revolution of the 3D world, and it is global in scale and calls for global unity of ideas, purpose, focus and methods.

You keep refering to the internet, especially since your community uses it as your primary means of online interaction, similar to what you refer to "Second Life" type community, but with communication over the internet. The internet as we know it today obviously has it's limitations. The 3D world only adds another level to the onion skin of human social interaction. As technology develops, this interaction is becoming more and more real, and uniting forces will enable us also to unite our technologies under a single virtual experience with greater realism and fidelity to life as every before possible. And this will continue to advance more and more and we as individuals are not capable to stop it. It is the trend of technology and human interaction that is determining this new direction.

There are those who argue in favor of offering a free virtual community and those who are against. The companies who truly understand the value of offering a free virtual community are those who are becoming the biggest world players, and benefiting the most from this technology which is global in scale. Those who argue against it are going against the tide, and are loosing the opportunity to get global exposure.

The first site you referred to --->>

http://www.worldcitizen.org/

Is a perfect example of what we are proposing and such organizations are perfect candidates to join this global effort. Their policies agree completely with what is stated on our site -->>>

""Because of globalization and the need to agree on basic common rules of civilized conduct in our global community, we would be remiss if we did not explore the possibilities of using the political technology of democracy to solve global problems."""

The world community, under these free programs are free to express their own views, create a new reality, re-shape existing reality and propose global solutions to global problems. Such participation is encouraged at all levels and should be an integral effort.

The next community you referred to --->>>

http://www.worldcitizen.org/

Deals also with the same vision, planet earth, world issues, world solutions, as the site states, "It is time to become aware of our world citizenship, Declare ourselves WORLD CITIZENS !"

This is what joining forces is all about !! And, "Planet Earth is our Home. Humanity is our Family."
This could not better express the global vision we must all have in this free 3D global virtual community !!

The fact that the majority of people live in poverty predicates the need for a free world based integrated system that all can access irrespective of race, color, religion, monetary condition or political diferences. Technology will soon allow for access to this world without the use of a computer terminal. It is only a matter of time. When this happens, individuals will simply be able to walk into a virtual space and interact with people for free in any global location ! And even get hired for jobs in global locations, based on their language knowledge and abilities. So more opportunities will be available to all. This is exactly what we propose.

As the site states -->>

"All the world governments will listen to our voice only if we become every day more and more determined."

If we join forces, and thus, our voices, more and more our voice will be heard by those who most need to hear it, have the ability, capacity, and conditions of leadership to listen to the global cry for help.

Your reference to the site --->>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mundialization

Refers to the same globalization, world community, world citizenship, and outlays the history of the development of the term "world citizen" and is an interesting exposition on the political attempts to create a world political body of sorts during the time of the failure of the United Nations to be "able to create global institutions able to really negotiate peace." It refers to the term Mundialization as a "logical extension of the idea of individuals declaring themselves world citizens", being coined by Garry Davis in 1949.

The text goes on to say --

"The mundialization movement advocates for a new political organization of humanity involving the transfer of certain parts of national sovereignty to a Federal World Authority, Federal World Government and Federal World Court. The Authority would be capable of solving, by majority decisions, the problems which call into question the future of man, such as : hunger, water, war, peace-keeping, pollution and energy. The President of the World Government must be elected by citizens in direct votings (Presidentialism)."

"Mundialization" includes the declaration of specified territory - a city, town, or state, for example - as world territory, with responsibilities and rights on a world scale.

The requirements of "mundialization" will not be satisfied with the obligations of international treaties or agreements that lack the force of law."

We are not proposing such mundialization in this free 3D global virtual community. It is not a political system, nor does it carry world authority. It must be a free global community that is integrated and allows for free expression, but the intent is not to substitute world courts, world governments or world authority.

The 3D virtual world can certainly eventually allow for the expression of the same ideas of freedom, liberal democracy and unification of ideas, just as it will allow for those to express themselves who believe in the de-centralization of the State, on the guarantee of individual sovereignty, on those who maintain the right of citizenship in their own language, own country, own identity and society. The world cannot simply become a global agglomeration of power at any point as individual rights would be violated, as we can see in apocalyptic movies produced by Hollywood today. This global integration on a political, social and economic level may be inevitable, however, given the agenda of many world leaders and organizations to unify local interests into a world court that can resolve international disputes.

Also, to assume we are creating a sci-fi story to attempt to unify the world is ludicrous, over-simplified, and unnecessary criticism of free thinking ideas and expressions that do not create an agenda, but open the mind to dream, to expand, to envision, to create, to join forces with visionary thinkers who are creating the imaginary worlds that have literally led to the programs you are referring to such as Second Life, and these communities are shaping the new way the global community interacts, exchanges information online, and conducts business. This is a global phenomenon we cannot ignore and simply call a childish game, a social game, a sci-fi dream, an escape from reality. There are those who use is solely for such purpose. There are others who use it for more practical purposes, and it serves them well for such. This phenomenon and new way of doing business, interacting,and exchanging information has become a new global reality, and those who embrace it are expanding, benefiting, growing and becoming the biggest players in a new era of social interaction, globalization, and way that society and business has found to integrate itself on a level and scale never before possible. Either we wake up, face this reality and join forces or we will be left as spectaters watching a new phenomenon sweep the globe as we sit back and call it a sci-fy allusion.

To repeat again, it seems that the same things you are advocating, you are also objecting to. If you wish to achive an "Inspired Habitat" and be able to "work together to make our homes and our built environment as good as they can be", or as a member of the Inspired Habitat "be helpful to others, have a positive attitude, believe in continuing education and think that we can make our built environment better by being creative and working together.", then you need to think globally, act globally, support people's dreams, support the new global reality and allow a place for "for anyone that would like to have a place on the web". By joining forces, we are not single voices, but a free global voice that creates, dreams, innovates, tells the new sci-fy stories of the future, and, by doing so, shape a new reality that pushes us into a new era of technological development and new way of interaction that allows for freedom of expression without the old medieval need to exorcise the freedom of thought that might free humanity from the traditional way of thinking.

[usarender]

Hello P.C.

What you are suggesting is already being done in the form of an architectural competition, posted also in these forums. It allows for software or computer driven innovations toward sustainable housing, among other options.

It is called the 2nd Advanced Architecture Contest.

An interesting exposition on the possibilities of global collaboration, using the computer, self-assembled systems, mass collaboration and the like. This is what we are seeking. From the text posted there -->>>

" Emergent Design, Peer Production and Free Source
Information is now freely transmitted, copied and remixed. Information can represent any idea or object, real or not. It follows then that information can represent structures and shelters that can be transmitted, copied, and remixed. Data, design and knowledge become sustainable, living things. The level of description of detail can be as fine as an author or designer wants, no longer limited by language or pen and paper. Design can even be automated. At this same moment in time, gone are the days of the Library of Alexandria, where only the elite had access to information. Even more importantly, today it is not just about consumption of knowledge but the ability to dynamically and rapidly interact with it, even add to it. Now that designs can be transmitted effortlessly, everyone (who wants to) is the user, builder and designer. People can work together on designs and construction, without any direct communication or even common interest. With enough eyes most problems become trivial and global solutions begin to emerge from many minds over time (for with enough eyes most problems become trivial). Designs become living, organic and evolutionary things.

"Taking advantage of modern computational and communication technology, how can architecture, programming, and design create systems that . . .
Enable people to learn by engaging them in their environment and in their place in the world?
Give people the control to sustainably design, assemble, build and modify their environment?
Let people solve problems and share solutions, even local, fine grain problems and solutions that may be uninteresting or not well understood from the outside?"

[csintexas]

The reason I use quotes is in an effort to be clear about the specific idea I am responding to.

Like I said before I'm not trying to be negative and you can see by my own efforts that I sympathies with many of your ideas. I'm having a bit of trouble determining what exactly you are proposing that is not already here.

Since the internet cannot exist without computers it is impossible to access it without computers.

Nothing is free. We either pay as individuals or through some sort of organization.

[usarender]

You have been focusing on what exists now, with simplified reductive responses, that do not consider all the ramifications, global implications of all that was posted previously in the replies. Perhaps you can have a look at the material, comments, third party references in more detail to understand the scope of what is being suggested. It is nothing like what exists today, and to be able to detail it completely, we would need to expound on all the technological ramifications, on our own ideas and on the endless possibilities that it is bringing to the world and will bring.

These changes are taking place globally now, not at some distant time in the future. We work with what we have now, but we inspire, aspire, visualize and project our aspirations into the future as well. This is part of the process of creating the proper vision needed to unite all global intelligence under a unified integrated 3D community that is nothing like anything that already exists, even though many of the basic ingredients, similar communities, programs and global efforts exist that contain many elements of this new world.

The inherent problems in such similar communities can be clearly seen in the post at -->>

http://www.designcommunity.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=3264215#3264215

We are creating what some companies are starting to do in a controlled, monopolized way and expanding it to it's universal implications. It is the free, global 3D community that will unite all individual companies, virtual worlds, businesses, communities, geographical locations, world experience, technology and innovation as well as individual efforts into a common unified 3D world that will be the new matrix. It is our universal interconnected minds that enable this. Call is fantasy, sci-fy, dream wishing, what you may, but we are the visionaries, the scientists, the inventors, the ones who will make this all possible. We can only work with what we have now, but this does not prevent us from creating the new codes to re-invent the existing reality and re-shape it.

The world is constantly being re-shaped and the reality around us is being conceived by our perception based on existing knowledge. When we begin to throw out our pre-conceived ideas based on the knowledge of what we only know now, and allow our minds to interconnect into the global matrix, anything becomes possible. This is not irrational illusion. The greatest minds in the universe have used it and are using it to re-shape reality, technology and the world as we know it. The world will never be the same once this new free 3D virtual community becomes a global, integrated and unified effort. This is only the beginning of a revolution !

This is a global call to all architects, engineers, scientists, software programmers, computer developers, communication systems developers, robotics and technology companies, international scientific community to join forces and create this new free 3D virtual community together and thus discover the infinite possibilities that it is bringing to the universe, once this effort is united, concerted, global and produced with a liberal, open free mind that is universal in scale and globally connected.

We are at the crossroads of the greatest technological achievements in global integration now possible through the free 3D global virtual community !

[csintexas]

Ok so what are we supposed to do?

[usarender]

In response to your question --->>

There are many opportunities for involvement in the free global community.

All those who are joining forces are the ones making the difference. There are many ways we as the global community are promoting this together, working as one, and bringing this new reality into existence. It is certainly benefiting all companies involved, as all are getting or will be getting global recognition, global publicity and global exposure.

So you may ask, if it is free, who will it benefit ? It will benefit all those who are believing and believe in the vision, embrace it, and re-shape the existing world as we know it. Those individuals and companies who invest now in this vision are those who are having the greatest global benefit as they are and will be forever, the catalysts of change and the ones who are bringing about a new era of technological development, unlike anything we have ever seen.

The world will benefit, as we will be globally connected in a way never before possible, with new technologies that create a new dimension to this global experience we call the universe.

The past, present, and future will be forever a part of our everyday interactive lives.

Movies, television, music, literature, global inventions, global minds, global technologies, global businesses, global organizations and on and on will be a part of a new virtual experience so intense that it will literally re-shape the future of these industries.

This is just the beginning of what we have to share and think about as a global community. More will follow in the following weeks, months and years.

All who are here at the Design Community should be happy and proud to be following this and also to participate. This is a revolution in the making!

[csintexas]

I see, so we just need to wait until the free global community is ready to start.

[usarender]

In the free global community, everyone is free to act as they wish. There are those who wish to participate, get involved, make it happen and there are those who wish to simply speculate, wait to see what is in it for them, they will keep waiting. This is a natural consequence of an open free system.

We are a free 3D community that is evolving, unending, open to multiple viewpoints, multiple perspectives and equations of individual reaction. It is the system mathematics and equations of global participation that determine it's success, not individual opinion.

So for those serious to be involved and make a difference in this universe, there will always be opportunity to explore, to create, to take the lead, to join forces, to seek partnerships, to help in the evolution of this active online virtual experience that knows no limits, no boundary of thought, no restriction of possibilities.

For all designers, architects, engineers, technicians and other people getting involved, instead of quietly observing in the distance, there is much work and many opportunities for contribution to the global system. This is benefiting all those involved in all the ways cited. We are the ones who are bringing about this new reality and exchanging our greatest ideas with each other. We can exchange our greatest ideas and opportunities in detail with those who really wish to get involved. Only they are able to understand the width, depth, extent and implications of our complete global action plan.

There are thousands of technological developments, implications, and areas for new companies or individuals to develop products for this community, and to get started here and now. These involve complex areas such as robotics, communications, data exchange systems, video broadcasting, software development, and also smaller scale efforts in field work and measurements, and many other areas - work for architects, designers, and all related professions, ( work and opportunities for real estate brokers, developers, investors, builders, photographers, 3D artists, marketers, those who work with publicity) and all members of other similar organizations who can join forces with us. There are many other areas that have space for participation.

This, as a free global 3D community, is open for all to participate, contribute, share information, make donations, and get involved in the greatest opportunity for multi discipline involvement in every aspect of it's global implications.

[The Architect]

[Richard Haut]

well, I tried reading the website and various others associated to it and the works of Tapscott.

I can find no substance in the verbiage. The sales pitch reaches hysteria and forgets to state clearly (and hardly concisely) what the "community" is or can do - indeed the references to architecture seem casual and close to incompetent.

this site (designcommunity) is not a global community - I prefer to think of it as an international version of the bar in the series "Cheers" - but it does enable people from across the world to discuss, to exchange ideas, to offend each other or even, now and then, to agree.

my own work attempts to help architects to become aware of a large range of opportunities and to bring their skills to differing areas and clients, to understand the complexities of changing and evolving procurement markets, and to be an active part of the changing face of urban Europe. However it is not a community - each architectural practice is different - they have differing needs, different hopes.

we know that the world is being "re-shaped" - what else do you think that architecture is about ?

[P.C.]

"this site (designcommunity) is not a global community - I prefer to think of it as an international version of the bar in the series "Cheers" - but it does enable people from across the world to discuss, to exchange ideas, to offend each other or even, now and then, to agree."

I think you underestimate , this is a fora with a more relaxed tone , but again I seen many of the issuse discussed in other fora's originate here. But you are right this is a fora you learn to apriciate for the profesional and openminded discussions.

Then this "re-shaping" must be met with arguments , and while it is very difficult to have your voice heard in trend architecture magazin, aswell as in architectural software houses politics , please check how few serious fora's are in fact awaible ; among those this fora are proberly the most open minded and least cencured , issues that are so very important for the future of architecture.

[The Architect]

There's nothing new* Richard. From one millennium to the next it's the same old thing. Growing up in the country we have an expression that goes, "Same shit - different pile."

Architecture doesn't shape the world, people do.

I mean that in terms of a 'class' structured society - as in the one you're living in right now Richard. That hierarchy has been dumping the same shit century after century after century. At it's extreme, take for example America ripping up Iraq - since when is that new??

Our world is NOT being re-shaped.

And at it's core - Architecture is all about how it handles it's loads - as in Structure of it's masses through/with space. And how those loads are being disributed/dispersed - is NOTHING new. The spam little house you live in right now Richard, is the same shit that's been structured for hundreds and hundreds of years ...ok? Don't be fooled by what is on the outside - look at it's structure and how and where those loads are being played through space, ok?

Architecture doesn't shape the world - people do. And you can't put new wine in an old wine skin.



P.C. is right in saying that DC is a global community, but only within the narrow spectrum of it's subject matter - Architecture. The term 'Global' should refer to all disciplines.

* With very very very few exceptions.


Take care...