Many of you know that I am a fan of Australian Tony Fry's work. His book A New Design Philosophy: An Introduction to Defuturing is a challenging read, however, it is perhaps the most brilliant book I have ever read. He tackles our unsustainable way of being at an ontological level. Simply put, reading (and practicing with) this book changes who you are.
Here is a quote that struck me from his e-zine called Design Philosophy Politics:
"The rate at which the condition of unsustainability is expanding and becoming structurally embedded, is totally outstripping the creation of responses, technically, culturally and politically. Much that travels under the heading of ‘sustainability’ is still token, partial and underdeveloped. In both the built environment and in industrial production what is often being sustained is the unsustainable. This is not an acceptable situation. If we are to have any choices about the form of the future we want for our selves, our children and those who come after them then ‘we’ have no option but to act with greater imagination, energy and purpose.
To be in a position to act is to be in a position of privilege. Certainly with the advantages that Australia enjoys there comes ethical responsibilities to create and share pathfinding solutions nationally and internationally. ‘Design Futures’ is a way to name and develop this activity. It demands new thinking, ways of organising, practices and an enormous amount of grit and creativity. It means facing problems in all their horror and not being defeated by them. It means coming to understand that a significant part of the history of humanity, across all of its diverse cultures, is a history of attaining what seemed at the time to be ‘the impossible’."
Tony Fry speaks about how our unsustainable way of living is being structurally embedded. I couldn't agree more. And to connect this to the recent thread on the body of sustainability, primary among these structures is the body.
The other thing that Fry does particularly well is to write in a style that frankly and directly confronts us with the challenges of our situation but in a way that ignites optimism instead of giving in to resignation. What a gift.
Take care,
-Steve
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