Design 21: Social Design Network

I so agree! Open source is the key to the internets success. And its attraction.

With new forums of communication opening up as a result of its inception, it has managed to bring closer together communities local and global.

It is helping us redefine what a 'community' is to each and every one of us.

Isolation for ones perceptions or interests are nullified on the internet. If one's own hometown community ostracizes - the internet invites. Go out in the world and find like minded people? Just surf the web.

Yes there are others out there just like you - or me.

This is a very powerful tool. As it stands, censoring the internet and its content that flows forth is already in place in many countries. That in and of itself bottlenecks some traffic. Without open source - who is to say how the internet traffic will be censored and monitored - and for which purpose and whose intentions.

Open source keeps the big companies always looking over their shoulders. It is the best way to keep the internet from becoming like the broadcast industry - controlled and contrived by 5 main media moguls.

As a result? Video may have killed the radio star - but it was big broadcasters that killed the tv!

Boring programming that execs decide will run. No variety. Mainstream media at best because it is more likely to get ad dollars.

With so many more choices out there - open source should be a backbone to all. If we don't keep the playing field open and fair - we will end up with a few larg...

Community inclusion, not exclusion is the key to developing healthy communities. This bus shelter is a fantastic example of how to rethink the issue surrounding homelessness. Vagrancy is a crime in many U.S. cities and is often brutally enforced or at the least used to harass homeless people. Purposeful design of uncomfortable benches is not only present in the street, but in airports as well. Why do designers take issue with people sleeping in public.

I like the design and overall concept, but I do not think this bench would be practical in large US cities. Having worked in the homeless community for over 10 years in major cities in the US, I have seen fights and killings break out over much coveted spots on heating grates. There is a certain survival element over resources and I could easily see a bench like this contributing to problems within homelessness and not helping. This is particularly because there is only one bed. There are several homeless people in most city streets. If there was a way to incorporate the design into several beds, it would become much more effective.

In addition to that concern, I am wondering that these benches will increase the identification of homeless individuals - particularly in the evening. Several times I have read about homeless people being hurt, set on fire, and often killed while they sleep - simply for being homeless. Creating a high profile for them, may only hurt in a community that is not compassionate. Most large cities in th...

This is very interesting. The US and it's citizens have always had a strong love affair with their cars. In some cities, the commute to and from work can be long and tedious. Most shopping is now done in a drive to the Mall mentality. We almost live in our cars.

What this concept does is intrigue and educate the public while transiting through daily life. What a concept! We need more of these vehicles, with several concerns approached by their inceptions. The creativity behind these vehicles could easily render fantastic competitions. The need for visualizations to explain social complexities and the data behind them in a sound bite is sooooooo important in this country. This makes even the smallest community member capable of grasping a situation. The visual of these cars really hits home.

I commend True Majority for taking a new approach toward informing an already overwhelmed populace in a fun and fresh manner. This really rocks!