FROM ME TO WE - Co-ok

It is not selfishness, but rather, a growing awareness
We change first, from docile citizens to headstrong
makes us focus more and more on what really suits
it easier to find like-minded people, we change to
that we are responsible for our own happiness, that
us. In addition, this whole “disposable society” issue
is called into question. Many people choose a product for a longer term, considering quality to be important, but also weighing their decision on the fact
that a product really suits you. Add to this, the fact
that “one-person” households are increasing. This
is partly due to aging [people remain alone] and
partly because people decide to live together
individuals. Now, partly because the internet makes
clearly present groups of individuals. We go from
“ME” to “WE”, just as if the back garden was planted
with clearly present plant groups, each with their
own scent, growth, and inflorescence. Even cities
will look more like New York City, with a Chinatown,
Little Italy, etc. and each district having its’ own
unique charm.
later in life, and more relationships are broken.
In 2050, the Netherlands alone, will have one
million more “one-person” households than now.
In short, the given “individuality” runs rampant.
The uniqueness of each individual is also reflected
in the individuality of groups. Those present are
more specific than before, whether it be a nationality,
a religion, a sports club, or a school.
See also previous Co-okbooks:
04
FROM ME TO WE
SS 09: Equal SS 10: Together SS 11: Together
Ground: Socialization
Vegetation: Sharing
Fruit: Groups of individuals
“Stand-Up-Reality” is not an open stage show, or
comedy. But it provides a place for people with spe-
cial stories that really happened. Exciting, witty, and
compelling stories about different subjects: a tentative childhood sweetheart, a gun to your head, an
unlikely chance at a long journey, or a life in prison.
Additionally, during each edition of the show, Echt
Gebeurd, [Really Happened] someone reads from
his or her old adolescent diaries.
The storytellers come from everywhere. Maybe a famous actor, or the baker on the corner, a war journalist, a retired private investigator. Anyone with a
good story that they themselves have experienced
will qualify.
www.toomler.nl
We share our weaknesses and mistakes more easily
than before. Nobody is perfect, and we do not pre-
tend to be. What we DO derive status from, is the
search for who we are and what makes us happy.
This is also reflected in the extent to which the visits
to the psychologists increase. A few years ago you
might have been embarrassed by that. But now, the
visiting coach or psychologist is almost a sign of selfassurance...”because I’m worth it”. Knowing who you
are, and what you stand for, is a new form of status!
FROM ME TO WE
05
Online, it is also important
to know who you are, and
what you stand for.
Many people have started to have a more conscious
way of dealing with social networking sites, including “de-friending.” [the removal of people you only
the ritual grooming of monkeys. I think you are nice,
so I send you a message about my daily life, and if
you like me, you react as fast as you can. There is also
increasing business use of such sites. For example,
many people answer internet forums. This enables
them to include their company name or link to their
company website, and is a kind of free advertisement
for them.
know vaguely] to be able to be more conscious about
We have a digital lifestyle. We are nothing without
the masses, and creating a very exclusive feeling.
are so convenient and easy, and connect us not
privacy, more “invitation-only” sites are keeping out
Yet, the presence of the internet has become an inte-
gral part of our existence. [I’m connected, therefore
I AM] You could compare the “talk about nothing”
on twitter and other social networking sites, with
See also previous Co-okbooks:
06
ONLINE LIFESTYLE
our electronic gadgets..gps, Iphone, etc. The devices
only with the rest of the world, but especially with
our friends, family, and partners. We literally feel
crippled when we forget our electronics.
SS 09: Home WX 09|10: Swarm SS 10: Clarity WX 10|11: Guide me, Involve me
Ground: Connected
Vegetation: Networking
Fruit: Vanity ring
The more hits on Google your name shows, the
higher the number appearing on the Digital Vanity
Ring. On-line presence is now more valuable than
diamonds.
This electronic ring shows the number of Google hits
when searching for the name of the person wearing
it. Every night, when the ring is inserted into its’
docking station, the ring is reloaded and updated,
to the objective popularity and importance measure
of one’s personality.
ONLINE LIFESTYLE
07
Bottom Up Creation. In the past, Ratan Tata made a
Perhaps the biggest change in the past 10 years, is
promise. The one-lakh car! A lakh is 100,000 Indian
Through co-creation people can co-determine what
of great symbolic value. With the Tata Nano director
producer and consumer is getting smaller, and the
Nano, the cheapest car in the world, that fulfills all
control, making producers seem more like a facili-
the gap between motorcycles and mini cars. A break-
that consumers are gaining more and more control.
Rupees, which is about 1700 euro. This is an amount
new products will look like. The distance between
and owner, Tatan Tata has kept his promise. The Tata
consumer, growing even stronger, is increasingly in
Indian safety and environmental requirements, fills
tatior or provider.
through for “the people”.
www.tatanano.com
Ground: Connected
Vegetation: Prosumer
Fruit: Co-created products
See also previous Co-okbooks:
08
CO-CREATION
SS 09: Pro-Am WX 09|10: DIYT
Not every consumer will begin instantly designing
everything himself. On You-tube for example, only
12% of the visitors are actually posting new things
themselves. And on Twitter, there will be more “fol-
lowers” than people who actually contribute things.
Often, these posts are done by young influentials,
who suddenly become Super-influentials through the
reach of the internet. For companies, it is important
to realize that these co-creators want to be valued for
their contributions, otherwise they will be gone in no
time. This may be financial appreciation, but the cocreator is often also susceptible to things like having
his name mentioned as a token of appreciation.
redesigme.com
On this website manufacturers can ask a question,
On their website, YES, a Dutch girls’ magazine, called
challenges you can earn RDM’s. On the same site is a
article, you see whose idea this is. The co-creator is
earned RDM for gifts.
think that their article is a good idea.
or assign a task regarding a new product. With these
for readers to send in ideas for articles. Beside the
shop, arranged so that co-creators can redeem their
listed with photographs and the reasons why they
CO-CREATION
09
Trust....The increasing transparency obtained through
more likely to rely on that opinion. The strenght of
come trapped. Our confidence is often damaged. Thus,
made available for free to some people. In turn,
the internet, causes individuals and companies to bewe are inclined to base our choices on the advice of
family, friends, and acquaintances. If someone you
know personally, recommends a product, you are much
“word of mouth” is based on this fact. Products are
these people are asked to share their honest
experiences with both the manufacturers and with
friends and acquaintances.
Ground: Crisis
Vegetation: Lack of trust
Fruit: Word of mouth
See also previous Co-okbooks:
10
WORD OF MOUTH
WX 09|10: LOVE
Volvo got the idea to design a car, for women, BY
lunch, family visits, shopping, yogs, calls, prepar-
you miss in a car, or how to reach the female con-
and wants to do things HER way. For Eve, no fami-
women. The team discussed questions like what
sumer. And so “Eve” was created. An imaginary
woman where lifestyle, not age is important.
She crams everything into one day: hairdresser,
ing dinner, etc. She has money, but little time,
ly car, but rather, a smooth coupe, not small and
feminine, but with plenty of storage space, easy
to park and maintain, and with good ergonomics.
Also, when it comes to charitable investing, we have
that we suspect of “loosing” too much money within
tance who helps a school in a poor country, then
and personal. You see results from the money you
more confidence in ourselves, or in an acquain-
we do in large, unwieldy, and impersonal agencies,
the system. 2.0 Development Corporation is small
donate through blogs, photos, etc.
WORD OF MOUTH
11
At first glance, the way we shop
does not really change during
crisis. Our life goes on.
But actually, there are a few things that DO change.
We prepare more meals ourselves instead of buying
ready-made meals. We still choose for wellness, but
take less expensive treatments. In a creative way,
we ensure that our lifestyle is maintained. We solve
this by frequently inviting friends to our home for a
movie night, a dinner, or a party game, for example.
Of course it has to do with whether or not you are
personally feeling the consequences of the crisis.
On one hand, we see an emerging brand of barter,
where goods or property and|or services are exchanged. On the other hand, we see the growing
practice of shopping behind closed doors, because
obvious wealth sometimes has negative associa-
tions. ldeeli.com or gilt.com are specialized, invitation
only websites for fashion, and onekingslane.com spe-
cializes in home accessories.
See also previous Co-okbooks:
12
CRISIS
WX 09|10: Feel rich! SS 10: Anti design, Slowing down SS 11: Enough, Sober
Ground: Crisis
Vegetation: Sharing
Fruit: Barter
Actually, barter has moved into the background with
the emergence of money. This is logical, because
money facilitated the production and trade. But in
this digital age, we do not always need money to
buy or sell something useful. It is obvious that more
people are going to exchange things or services. The
social aspect plays a role. One who bakes a cake for
a neighbour in exchange for tomatoes, has not only
made a good bargain for both sides, but has also
built a good mutual understanding. Transactions
with money are often cold and impersonal, whereas
bartering, is a contribution to a more social society.
We have less free time, and therefore, would
changed. For example, a dentist gives his gardener
centers are still growing. People are taking
In business, more products and services are ex-
rather relax more in less time. The wellness
a new crown, in exchange for the garden work.
less expensive treatments, but the number of
visitors is still increasing.
CRISIS
13
It is noteworthy that the concepts of environment
and sustainability have not yet been exposed to the
crisis. Of course there are people who, although they
would like to, can no longer afford the more expen-
sive organic or fair trade products. More and more,
people are aware that our consumer behaviour has
brought us right here to our environmental and economical crisis. They are the ones who ensure that
the overall interest in sustainability is still growing.
More and more, companies see the benefits of
producing sustainables not only because of the
environment itself, but because sustainability is
used as a marketing tool. In 2008, companies had
invested 75% more in the environment than during
the previous year.
14
ENVIRONMENTAL
they produce is “calmer”, non-glaring, more glowing,
and diffuse. The thin, flat nature of OLED’s also
makes it possible to use and integrate light in
ways that are not possible with LED’s, or any other
replace LED’s because they have their own very
specific and useful types of application possibili-
Vegetation: Search for new & clean sources
See also previous Co-okbooks:
evenly over a complete surface. The illumination
lighting source for that matter. OLED’s will never
Ground: Ecological crisis
Fruit: Plant-e
Lumiblades are extremely flat panels that emit light
ties. The two however, can complement each other
very well, providing different options in a new
type of digital lighting, that is becoming increas-
ingly important in an energy conscious world.
SS 09: Continue WX 09|10: Innovate WX 10|11: Eco money SS 11: Energy
Cradle to cradle continues to grow.
Nike considered producing shoes made of
hennep, vege-tan leather, and vegetable glue.
The River Rouge Factory of Ford car had to be abandoned because the ground was seriously polluted. In
this same exact place there is now a new factory that
cleans the river and purifies the ground, creating a
habitat for birds, while the factory still makes cars.
A car that could be made there is the Ford Model U.
All materials in this car are biodegradeable or reusable, without loss of quality in technical products. As
the tires of this car wear down, particles are released
as fertilizer for the plants along the edge of the road.
The new start-up Plant-e aims to develop products
that produce electricity from living plants. The first
product will be a green roof, producing electricity.
The technology is based on the growth of plants.
Under the influence of sunlight, organic compounds
are used for growth, and part is excreted by the roots.
The roots, grow naturally occuring bacteria that
break down these organic compounds. This produces
electrons. Since the bacteria are able to provide these
electrons to an electrode, the electrons can be har“Carrotmob” is a method of activism that leverages
consumer power to make the most socially responsible business practices also the most profitable
choices. Businesses compete with one another to
see who can do the most good. Then a big mob of
consumers buys products in order to reward whichever businesses made the strongest commitment
to improve the world. It’s the opposite of a boycott.
vested and electricity can be produced. This means
that electricity can be generated without impeding
the plant’s growth, using the natural processes that
occur in the soil. In theory then, it is possible to generate electricity at any place where plants grow.
More information about the technology is available
at www.plantpower.eu.
http://carrotmob.org
ENVIRONMENTAL
15
Ultimately, it’s all about trust. Trust, which in recent
combined with an irreversible globalization, we
questionable trust: banks, business, and politics. The
suit us. Spirituality is a personal experience, and
years, is quite damaged. Most things are based on
coming years are therefore known as the years in
which there will be more need for spirituality and reli-
gion. From our highly evolved sense of individuality,
take different religions or spiritual philosophies that
the answers come more from within ourselves, and
less and less from the pulpit. But we do search for
kindred spirits in the real world or on the internet.
In a time when many people DO believe, but have
Ground: Crisis, Globalization, Individuality
Vegetation: Personal spirituality
no more religious ties, there is still a need for cer-
tain forms of spirituality. For this, you can now go to
“RENT A PRIEST”. If you would like to give a religious
touch, church related or not, to major events in your
life, such as a blessing of relationships, marriage, or
Fruit: Rent a priest
funeral service, just rent a priest! The foundation has
various pastors, priests, and other clergymen available. You can also go to them if you want to talk
about faith and life questions.
See also previous Co-okbooks:
16
RELIGION
SS 10: Slowing down
A lot is said about the year 2012. It is possible to
and epidemics. Some people even move to France
Mayan Calendar was reconstructed. It is shown
also a more optimistic group who expects that
explore various avenues. Twenty years ago, the
that the current Mayan calendar ends in 2012,
and a new one begins on December 21st of that
year. Opinions about what this means are varied.
There is one group, who assumes that a large part
of humanity will be eradicated by disasters, wars,
or South Africa to escape this disaster. There is
this new period will be one where we will get
new harmony and balance in many areas. This
group sees the current interest in spirituality and
Obama’s message of hope, as signs of this new age.
RELIGION
17
We are available online, and this
trend is far from complete. The
extent to which our digital and
our “real” lives are intertwined, is
growing by the day.
Tablet PC
Digital reading through e-book is advancing.
The question remains though, whether or not
we prefer to have all-in-one. For example, the
tablet PC, which is e-reader, computer, keyboard
and wacom tablet in one.
With the square it is possible for an
individual to accept payments via
credit card on your Iphone. Handy
for a street market.
www.squareup.com
See also previous Co-okbooks:
18
DIGITAL FUTURE
WX 10|11: Guide me, Pop up
Ground: Innovation
Vegetation: Mobility
Fruit: Real-time digital information
With this technique, it is possible for objects that are
not really there, to appear in 3D. The only thing you
need for this, is a computer or phone with camera.
Because almost everyone nowadays has a camera
on his phone, the difference between the real world
and the virtual one becomes smaller. Think of in-
structions during complex operations on the spot, as
soon as a doctor or a mechanic needs them. Or,
think of information about tourist attractions as
you walk through a city. The possibilities are endless.
Google Wave
“how e-mail would be if it were invented today”
In 2010, Google Wave will become available for every-
one. With Google Wave, it is possible for multiple people to work on the same project, such as documents
and spreadsheets. Project partners can also respond
via a special chat system on each others’ operations. A
big advantage is that Google Wave is used within the
browser, and nothing needs to be installed. You can
login around the world on Google Wave, and continue
working, and you can link to social networking sites, etc.
www.googlewave.com
Layar is a free application on your mobile phone
which shows what is around you by displaying realtime digital information on top of reality through
the camera or your mobile phone.
DIGITAL FUTURE
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