Deep tinkering usefully applied

Blended Learning Revisited
John Seely Brown
http://mitworld.mit.edu/video/765

The idea of tinkering is fascinating! At the Tinkering School, it's founder wanted to create a space for kids to simply figure things out through what our modern society considers dangerous play (but what even my generation considered normal play). I don't necessarily think that play always needs to be dangerous in order to be educative. In essence, the Tinkering School is similar to Montessori's educational model for the preschool ages. Create the opportunities for experiences which cause people to learn through tinkering (or play) that is fueled by curiosity.

For deep tinkering, this model is simply more complex and it is internalised. We learn by doing, testing our thoughts in the real world which is applied philosophy as much as it is engineering, architecture, business, mechanics or social reform. I think the true potential of this approach to education and learning is not only in the creation of knew knowledge by collaboratively deep tinkering our way forward - knowledge such as technological breakthroughs which can often simply be exploited by someone for monetary gain - but in its application to the emphatic building of better communities and societies. In other words, if deep tinkering is the best approach to solving problems, then applying it to social problems such as poverty, environmental degradation and the erosion of community means that we can "play" our way into a better world. Though this is doubtless being done, I don't think it's explicit.

In a book John Seely Brown cowrote - The Power of Pull - the authors develop the ideas of building platforms of knowledge creation. These platforms exist for things such as online gaming and technology development but as far as I know they're lacking in the fields of social development. Theoretically, our government is supposed to be a platform for knowledge creation. Theoretically, our schools are supposed to be platforms for knowledge creation. Theoretically, our workplaces should be platforms for knowledge creations. But the fact of the matter is that they're not. They are rigid and hierarchical. They function on the misconception that elected officials, teachers and bosses are better in some way as those who they're lording over. But this attitude leads us nowhere.

What if our communities collectively created the platforms for interactive knowledge creation which inspire people to deeply tinker on problems relevant to their community?

As far as I know, no mainstream institution is even attempting to do this. In my opinion, the status quo needs to become something which is in constant evolution and in which every single one of us can contribute.

La belle verte

In following with my previous post, I must also highly, highly, highly recommend "La belle verte". This film is a powerful environmental and social critique. It's not, however, a heavy, finger-pointing piece. Rather, it is humourous and original in the way the story is told.

Arguably the best parts of the film are those which are set in the alien world some of the protagonists comes from. It is a utopia where everyone is equal, eats raw vegetarian food, and lives to be over 200 years old (they get three sets of teeth!). Their days are spent in physical exercice, communal gathering of food and education of one another. They have concerts of silence. As a community, they decide how many babies there will be, distribute the harvests, and send ambassadors to other planets. The story, therefore, mostly takes place when one of their people visits earth.

It's unnecessary to say what happens when the alien (who looks completely human by the way) arrives on earth. All that needs to be said is that it's a very simple and fair criticism of Western society: disconnectedness with others; pollution; going too fast to appreciate the small and countless beauties life affords.

In order for the utopia in "La belle verte" to exist, we would need:
- No individual property
- Communal and inter-generational sharing of food and knowledge
- A disposal of all things non-essential (electronics, cars, huge disjointed cities, and so on)

Basically, we'd have to give a damn about one another. Which is what I believe the message of most prophets boils down to.