Of shamans, dimensions, design and evolution

As I mentioned briefly in a previous post, last week I went for the first time to the festival TrimarchiDG in Mar del Plata. I found the event very stimulating, from the contents of the lectures to the general atmosphere among the assistants, the green settings around the Islas Malvinas stadium, and of course the beach and the sun.

These elements combined turned the weekend into a mental boiling pot that allowed me to think and shape some ideas, which I will try to express below.

Collaboration and detachment vs. accumulation

One of the conferences that I found most exciting was the one by designer Michael Robinson, who is more interested in the flow of energy and the ability of humans to perceive more dimensions than the three obvious, than in design.

Robinson identifies himself with Shamans for their ability to separate from themselves, access to a higher dimension to transform into different beings, and return to their natural state, and somehow thinks (and I agree) we can all learn something from these subjects to change the world. Some phrases of this interesting character that caught my attention (numbers are clarification points below):

Everything is going to change. (1)

The history of evolution parallels our ability to visualize information.

Technology allows us to tell our story because we don't need to ask anyone for permission.

We must banish the idea that fun or progress are linked to money. We must return to exchange: I can paint your room if you cook for me. (2)

The idea is not to become powerful, but to give people tools so they have more power.

People do not do anything until they see an example, so it is important to show examples of projects and ideas.

It is important to overcome the need to preserve: everything has a time and manner. Detachment generates liberation. When one retains, there's no place for something new to enter. We must create space in the body energetically to allow light in. Otherwise, we are asleep.

The goal of design is transparency. Representation is the way we interpret the energy.

See the grid. Balance the senses. Face your dark side.

Do not let anyone tell you how to use your energy.

Engage the fragmentation. Engage the tools.

(1) I would say that everything is changing.
(2) This idea is related to concepts I mentioned a few days ago and would like to see new ways to implement it. I'm finding out about what remains of barter in Argentina -plenty- but I'm interested to see some form of exchange of professional services. Does anyone know?

Robinson created the online magazine Reality Sandwich and the exchange social network Evolver.net, in my opinion none as effective as listening to him talk in person.

However, something attractive about the second project is that it is a website for exchanges between people which also organizes fund-rising activities to finance small projects (to alienate the idea that you need too much money to accomplish things). The idea seems great but I do not know if it is a practical platform, I have to investigate it a little more.

Of all the interesting concepts mentioned in his talk, I feel the most powerful is to disconnect the idea of money to wellbeing and to the possibility of doing something or not, which is really something I spoke about a few days ago and which I think certain segments of my generation are understanding.

I often hear people (including myself) say “I want a million dollars to go live on the beach and do nothing” o para “Rest easy” o paraor to0;Do not think about money anymore”. However, as mentioned in a line of the wise and inspiring movie Office Space, “You do not need a million dollars to do nothing”. Or money to go see a movie, or thousands of dollars to launch a project. And if you have what you need to live and you don't think about money, it stops being a problem.

Maybe you need money to get this or that, but if you start considering exchange, that can begin to change. The question is, then, What do you need? and, How you can get it through an alternative way that does not involve money??.

I know I'm not inventing the wheel with what I'm saying and that these issues have been well discussed during the years of crisis here (and in Brooklyn they are speaking of DIY and of alternative currencies as some cool new trend), but I'm intrigued by this idea that the paradigm is changing: from accumulation to detachment and sharing. It would be very interesting to find more ways to make this more of a reality (and I am thinking how to incorporate more of these ideas to the blog).

Design can change

Much less powerful, but noteworthy, was the presentation of Canadian Eric Karjaluoto and his project Design can change, obviously pointing to the power of design to improve products and services around us.

From him I rescue quotes like “The fallacy of convenience” regarding how businesses have taken us to believe that certain products are more convenient for us when they are simply ridiculous. An apple sold cut out in pieces, frozen vegetables (??!¿”?), disposable pens that never work. I know many of us already know that these products are at least uninteresting, but his seemed like the perfect description.

Popular graphic art

Finally, I got my eyes a little opened by the presentation of Colombian project Popular de Lujo, which observes and studies popular graphic street art. It reminded me of how grocery stores used to have these boards made with super cool signs in chalkboards, that now are just gone.

That is all. As I said before I highly recommend the festival TRImarchiDG, especially next year, as it will be its tenth anniversary. I hope to leave you with a few new ideas and if you have comments or ideas about moving these concepts to facts you can leave a comment below or contact me by mail. Below there are some random photos of the festival.