Issue #1
ANTI-SOCIAL
ANTI-SOCIAL is the “New Black”
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Anti: against, adverse, hostile, opposed. Social: public, friendly, civic, communal. Being “anti-social” is therefore alienating, not-participating, avoiding company, being introvert, austere and non-communicative. More specifically, in a civic context, “anti-social behaviours” are disrupting the life of others, being offensive towards them and negating basic rights of the other components of the society; in some cases certain “anti-social behaviours” can fall under the warrant for persecution. The underlining meaning of the notion of “anti” however, is strictly dependent from the recognition of the collectivity, of the Other as essential existence of a Society. Its negation otherwise does not subsist.
Society is a principle of coexistence. It can be applied to a group of individuals living together, sharing common values, rules and habits. Society is a system, structured around a specific purpose or the recognition in others of common principles of living. Each individual becomes part of it by contributing, caring and engaging with the others. It is a contract based on shared responsibilities and acceptance of personal limitations for the benefit of the whole.
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In the current crisis caused by the spread of the COVID-19 virus, a paradox of the rationales above occurs. Although the ontological definition of society persist in its core values, the conditions we are facing at the moment significantly change the externalisation and actualisation of these principles. The interrelations between individuals, that till now have corresponded to certain established “social behaviours” and practices, have been subjected to a critical shift. Consequently, the body of existing networks and their functionality is undergoing through a reconfiguration of the structures underpinning them.
By framing the notion of “social” as the communal understanding of actions and communication happening within a group of people - or agents, this is an attempt to analyse the related dynamics resulting from this set of actions and to add a new layer of understanding over the current global situation we are experiencing.
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The presented topic of ANTI-SOCIAL has been chosen thinking about the contradictions that the notion of “being (anti)social” increasingly embodies. From its association with social media; the new modality of relating and behaving in the digital world, the legal aspect of this new geopolitical configuration; the ethics and morality governing the world wide web; the consequences of alienation and isolation caused by the virtual society, while the decadence of the public space as a social space for gathering. Lastly now more than ever, we are facing a complete subversion of all these multiple meanings associated with the “(anti)social” concept: the consequences of the quarantine, as so dramatic and so extensive in terms of scale, that are offering a unique opportunity to analyse and question our position as individual in a society, to look at the whole system in which each of us makes now a difference by playing the rules completely subverted from the one we used to, the total opposite of what anti-social meant, now is a socially responsible behaviour.
The relatively of conditions is therefore what is being uncovered: while the notion of Society is still strong in its core, the understanding of new modality of expression and of being together are not an absolute, but contingent.
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The body of presented works in this issue is a small sketch reflecting over this societal shift, from inside and looking outside our windows, a collaboration between a few colleagues that, through the lenses of Design, have virtually come together to navigate the uncertainty of this new wave, not taking ourselves too seriously but trying to be critical.
However, whenever it comes to our field, we know that operating with consciousness and awareness of the addressing systems is crucial and, being part of this major and ongoing change, makes our position uncertain and makes us constantly question. What means for us being part of such a significant challenge is what we would like to explore together, in our “anti-social” way.
The Editors
Two designers attempting to retrace the new social and anti-social dynamics risen during the crisis.
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[by Valeria Fabiano]
Eindhoven, 4th April 202
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We are living in an unprecedented situation. In various way, it may be the first time in history that humanity has been called to face together a global crisis, to live under same conditions and to comply with similar behavioural rules. The scale of events, the uncertainties of what is happening, a shared fear and overwhelming feeling, the channels of communication, the production of knowledge; all these new circumstances have suddenly became somehow the means through which we can understand and live the reality at the moment. A situation that is affecting us all, independently from from cultural, religious and societal habits we lived accordingly till now. In the past days, I have been caught in reflecting about what does it mean to be part of this completely restructured Society, as a designer as individual part of this global structure that goes beyond my understanding.
When it comes to the definition of “society” as we knew it so far, the notion of the “social contract” it is possibly the first reference that comes to my mind - as a negotiated set of values and believes that allows the coexistence of individuals within a broad community. As a structure that defines economical, political and cultural principles of people living together, under a civic responsibility and behaving in the respect of each others rights, dictated by this common agreement; in which individuals are acting in their local environment while contributing to the overall system in a codependent way. Given the current situation, what is your understanding of this global Society? And in which way the limitation of our individual rights to surviving, in an extreme way of seeing this, influenced the way you perceive a certain civic responsibility towards this enlarged Society?
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If there is one thing that this crisis is highlighting at the moment, is that, what we before took for granted, is not always going to be there. Deep changes of our lifestyles are already subverting established social criteria: how to be together by being separated, how to be social by not seeing anyone. In this sense, understanding and embracing social responsibilities is becoming the only way of living. How would you define a “social behaviour” under these current circumstances? Or on the other hand, comparing to your previous understanding, how would you reevaluated the notion of “anti-social” behaviour” ?
As we know, the role of Designer requires a constant reflection over the understanding of the Community, what does it mean to be part of it and to act within it. This allows to know the addresser(s) of our work, as well as the way it influences the immediate or the broader audience once it is produced. We constantly think what kind of reality the work may change, reshape or reproduce. Now more than ever, there is an immediate need to find new tools of analysis, new ways of communication, different approaches to understand certain issues - both existing or upcoming. Is there a different view on what is the Community we belong to now and for which we will produce? How could you describe, from your current position, the new relations that are developing within this Community?
As designers, having a comprehensive analysis of the dynamics surrounding us, the way certain phenomenon unfold, interpreting the possible causes behind and speculating over feasible or undesirable outcomes, are crucial processes we have to undergo to be able of having a critical point of view and to position ourself, to act upon these terms. The situation generated by the spread of COVID-19, subverted a big part of our ways of reading the surrounding reality as well as some fundamental principles upon which our practices were based on. How this whole situation affected you in this sense? Which main changes do you sense are affecting your way of understanding the reality and therefore the way you approach your work? How you adapt, retrace and find a new position within it?
Creativity leads us to quickly adapt to certain situations, to react very fast to new stimulus. Curiosity, nevertheless is the trigger of creativity. Having to experience and live the outside world through a screen, having the access to knowledge only in the digital way, being social only in a virtual reality: these are only a few consequences people are feeling affected by the isolating restrictions. At the same time, we creatively are reevaluating existing networks and restructuring our everyday life, finding stimuli and inspiration within a limited amount of resources and space. Could you relate to this and maybe share a couple of examples or suggestions based on your experience that may be inspirational for others?
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Etablished social criteria: how to be together by being separated, how to be social by not seeing anyone. In this sense, understanding and embracing social responsibilities is becoming the only way of living. How would you define a “social behaviour” under these current circumstances? Or on the other hand, comparing to your previous understanding, how would you reevaluated the notion of “anti-social” behaviour” ?
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In my opinion Society, in terms of its definition and understanding of what it is a/o it should be, did not change that much compared to before the COVID-19 outbreak. If I may say, the idea of what Society should be is the same as before, however what changed is my perception of reality does not meet the expectation I had before. Therefore I could convey that society is just amount of norms and traits that regulate the way I interact with others, and it matters very little if I can’t physically meet those others. I can see this situation we are living as just a peculiar extra ordinem, and, as much as it is going to change our lives in its aftermath, it won’t change Society per se. My hope is that it will change things on other levels such as bringing more equality and unity in the world, which are then as principles going to influence Society in its structure and dynamics, but enacting on secondary levels.
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I guess that, in first place, should be defined what it is we mean with ‘social behaviour’. As my understanding, it can address the societal wellbeing as a whole system or only define ‘social interactions’: both of these are “social” at the end. Given the framing, I guess the point stands around the first one. Therefore, to me, a social behaviour is what priorities the wellbeing of others, and in this sense, the current situation did not change the conception I have of it in its core. I recognise however its modality of expression have significantly changed. And more specifically, modalities are still rely in the very same concept: individuals’ behaviour should not impact negatively any other’s life in the very first place. So if I may refer to the given current scenario, this is translated in staying home, by sticking to the rules for the benefit of everyone. In the opposite end, if you do not, if you self-centre your life, then we have an “anti-social” behaviour: which is nothing but adopting attitudes that hurt the wellbeing of the social tissue. Hence, it goes back on my very first impression of how the principles defining Society are maintained, the system itself is not questioned but the terms and modality of individual relations are.
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Of course there is a different view. And if one is not able to perceive to this new reality, it means that they are not able to adapt to it for real. Speaking about my very precise case, I am cut out from every community I felt like belonging to in the past. However, I found myself in new ones that I had no idea I was part of, as I never recognised them as such till now. Those are the relations that mainly interest me as a designer. Not in the terms of how the old ones and the new ones interact or my position of being between them, but rather in the way certain relation had to die, some evolved to survive and other just got put in stand by. My reaction to these changes is what brings criticality towards this situation as designer and as all the different roles I cover in those systems.
Honestly, I believe I am fast in coping with change. I think the way I perceive it and the way I therefore perceive reality are both very adaptable and resilient. While, to elaborate them, to process them and to feel them, it takes me a significantly longer time than I would like it to think of. This means I cannot actually offer a proper answer to this, since I am still trying to figure it out for myself. At the same time, I feel to stress that it is a very personal matter. Each of us copes with things in its own way, so it really depends. Lastly, what I could say about my understanding of the current situation, it may be not even that relevant to others. I feel that my lack of awareness of the complete picture it may become just me projecting on them my uncertain perception, which is probably the last kind of confusion they may need now.
I do not necessarily think it takes us a screen to be social. Neither any other device. Being social now does not necessarily involves others - and I am here referring to one of my first answers. Although, of course the digital interactions are a big part of our new daily routine and probably our only way to catch a glimpse of what is in the outer world, I would not agree that it is a proper way to connect with what is out there, to understand the reality. And this approach I guess it what gives me, on the daily basis, to foster my creativity: the curiosity to find out what might be out there, as not taking it for granted, having to go deeper in it, seeking the chances to have a wider picture - which also implies getting lost a bigger amount of data than usually. And creativity it is made out of this! It is simply the ability to see further, to gain more options in order to do or achieve our goals. Right now, not having the same access to reality as before, somehow helps me to do that: it allows further speculations, that have then to be deepened, explored and proved. However this is my own way, it is by imagining that I find my curiosity. But there is a beauty of it, and imagination is limitless for everyone.
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