Big Little ThingsGreensboro, Alabama
So I’m in a tiny little town in Alabama, acting as an advisor for students ofProject M, a design education program that invites design students out to the home of the Rural Studio, to learn how to think about design as a way of approaching social problems.
I’ve been here for about 20 hours. Here’s where I am:
-There are some super smart, committed designers coming out of some unlikely places. That’s encouraging.
-Young designers are exceedingly focused on the vehicle for the communication, as opposed to the content of it.
-Instead of asking the question, “What can I do?” we’ve decided to ask “Who can I help and how?”
-It seems like access (to all kinds of things large and small) is a huge problem worth tackling in rural communities all over the country.
-There’s something about small, almost dead places that puts pity in your heart. And pity mostly doesn’t seem that helpful.
-Instead of assuming, ask.
Whachou think?
June 5th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Hey Josh! Hooray! Sounds like a very cool thing to be doing. If you need info (like how-to stuff) go online to MakeZine or CraftZine, or instructables.com. I wonder how much is a lack of information vs. access to goods? Maybe this is about exploring what resources do exist (free internet in the library?) and publicizing those? Is there something in the waste-stream that could be re-purposed? Is the climate similar to another place in the world that has already solved that problem?
I am just looking at a book called “Rambam’s Ladder: The Eight Steps of Giving. Which are as follows:
8/Responsibility
At the top of the ladder is the gift of self-reliance. To hand someone a gift or a loan, or to enter into a partnership with him, or to find work for him, so that he will never have to beg again.
7/Anonymity
To give to someone you don’t know and do so anonymously.
6/Corruption
To give to someone you know, but who doesn’t know from whom he is receiving help.
5/Boundries
To give to someone you don’t know, but allow your name to be known.
4/Shame
To hand money to the poor before being asked, but risk making the recipient feel shame.
3/Solicitation
To hand money to the poor after being asked.
2/Proportion
To give less to the poor than is proper, but to do so cheerfully.
1/Reluctance
To give begrudgingly.
June 5th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
I think Project M sounds fucking awesome.
June 12th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
BTW, I learned after you left that this building in your photo was burned down because there were forged ballots locked inside the safe. They were for the mayoral candidate favored by the white minority, and proof that the election was fixed. This was in 2000!