We are the Designers. Yes, you are too.
Planet Earth II is one of the most wonderful nature documentaries ever created. During the whole series sir David Attenborough invites us on a journey around our extraordinary planet, discovering it’s many beautiful faces through our oceans, mountains and forests. It’s very hard not to appreciate the overall quality of cinematography combined with the charming music. Going deeper and deeper into the wonders of Earth, there comes the feeling of thankfulness for how noble, rich and powerful our planet is. It’s a common thing for almost all nature documentaries, right?
What distinguishes Planet Earth II in comparison to other series of this kind is the last episode — “Cities”. But what cities have to do with nature? When walking through the streets of Mumbai, New York or Rome we can observe how structures created by humans might impact the lives of other beings, the way they find food or reproduce. Can there be anything more powerful than affecting other lives? Through the process of orginizing our own environment we are significantly influencing existing natural ecosystem. The way we build and then utilize cities is interconnected with environmental issues like water resources management, carbon dioxide emissions and plastic waste. In short we leave a mark.
According to data presented by United Nations, 68% of human population is projected to live in urban areas by 2050. Urbanization is a fact and our impact is going to be much broader in the future. This is only matter of time. For better or for worse — conclusion is pretty straight forward — ability to change the World around us is very powerful and every human being is involved.
How can we measure this process? Do we control it? If yes, how can we make it better?
According to encyclopedic definition, Design is:
“…the intentional creation of a plan or specification for the construction of an object or system or for the implementation of an activity or process.”
So we know already that there is a name for the process standing behind all the projects and activities ever created by humans. And that is the Design. Clearly, we cannot consider process of Design only as making things to look a certain way. Design, having such a big impact like mentioned above environmental changes is definitely a much deeper and more complex operation that needs to be considered as making things to work and function in some specific way.
Good, we learned so far that we are in possession of a very powerful tool that allows us to change the world around us - and we can even name it. People involved in the design process are called Designers. The Creators. Who can be one of them? What should the Designer be like? Being familiar with these three major concepts can help you be a great Designer:
1. Curiosity
This is a tough one. To be curious means to never settle down, to be always open for a new ideas, to be humble enough to challange and question your own ideas every single day. If Design, as we said, is part of a change process we need to keep looking forward and be ready to adjust all of our assumptions and opinions constantly. Gathering data and constantly learning allows for us to familiarize ourselves with the world around us, thus understanding it better. Curiosity generates activity and there is no intentional change without being pro-active.
2. Responsibility
With great power comes great responsibility. We all know this, right? But do we really feel that every action has some consequences? Do we really acknowledge the impact we have on our planet today, and how each decision sets the environment for the lives of future generations? The example may seem extreme, but quality of results is always born in the process. When you feel responsible, you care. How much do you care?
3. Optimism
When you already figured out first two, this one comes to you naturally. The choice here is very simple but incredibly powerful. Two ways. Either you sit and dwell, thinking that World sucks, complaining and saying “it used to be better” or you try to navigate through the reality as it is. Take the time to think what could you do to make positive impact and to empower other people. Let me explain it this way: It’s very easy to drag someone down. You only need to hang and use your weight. Zero effort needed. Lifting up is what requires real strength. To be optimistic means to believe that your actions matter and create results aligned with your intentions. Optimism and positivity are founded in a faith in the value of what you do and taking full responsibility for it.
“OK, but what does all of this have to do with me?” you may think. The most interesting thing is that each of concepts mentioned above is within everyone’s reach. They are not dedicated to a narrow group of people. In the grand finale of Planet Earth II, sir Attenborough leaves us with one simple message — We are all the Designers. We all have impact on the environment around us in micro and macro scale. Every one of our actions and creations have consequences in some way, and we are empowered to shape these actions. To design them.
What are we going to do about it?
We believe that design is in everything that surrounds us. Profound curiosity drives us to seek answers to whys and hows of the future. Unceasing optimism fills us with the intention of sharing thoughts, discoveries, skills and solutions that may one day be relevant as to an individual as to the society.
The Supersymmetry has its foundation in humility of constant learning, inquisitiveness and infinite optimism for the future.
