Technology and the Social (Re)Imaginary
How can we re-imagine technology informed by nature and indigenous values of care? —Rachel Chak
Growing up living with and between cultures, Rachel is inspired by the indigenous and local communities that she has interacted with, as well as exploring ways to connect place-based knowledge for regenerating equitable alternative futures. With a background in both Design and Public Health/ Health Sciences, Rachel is interested in how technology can be used as a generative tool to enable human communities to exist in harmony with the more than human world.
“Technology is the active human interface we have with the material world”, quoting Ursula K. Le Guin [1], she reminded us that technology is not only a means to engage with the world around us, but also that this act of engagement comes with a responsibility.
This sense of responsibility was further explored through the words of Shinichi Nakazawa [2] , who cautioned us that “Technology was not given so humankind could ride roughshod over nature and wreck irreparable changes. Rather technology is to draw out the hidden essence of all nature so that it can sparkle with new purpose. Technology is not to enslave and command life, but to draw forth the infinite possibilities locked within all life and to open new realms of significance. Thus it is that we need to heed the message of life and nature and to create new interfaces infused with nature’s wisdom.”
Rachel then went on to discuss the concept of the Social Imaginary [3], which at the core is an “imaginary system that holds society together, providing the web of meaning and structures that guide our collective and individual actions and values”.
The discussions around structures of collective and individual values were further explored through the introduction of the Sikolohuyang Pilipino (Filipino Indigenous Psychology) concept of Kapwa [4], “the recognition of a shared identity, an inner self shared with others”. This notion of connection strengthened by one’s “ability to empathize and feel connected with others and the external world” encapsulates the essence of the three facets that Rachel subsequently put forward as key approaches to enable the re-imagining of social systems, informed by nature and indigenous values of care:
Embodiment - rediscovering our relationship to the inner and outer world
Communal World-building - reconstructing our desired futures together based on local needs
Re-imagining Digital Ecosystems - recognising the ecologies of technology
Recounting her own experiences of working with various grassroots initiatives in the Philippines, Rachel shared inspiring examples of community building efforts rooted in indigenous wisdom and committed to supporting local needs. These examples demonstrated the importance of situated and scale appropriate efforts for enabling the emergence of adaptive and resilient ecosystems of care.
Situating ourselves back into the room and reflecting on our own agencies to enact change in this digital age, we ended the session by exploring the possibilities of the digital space as a vessel for collective re-imagination and communal world-building. This was a great way to wrap-up an afternoon of thought-provoking sharing and discussions, and has certainly left me with new ideas and a rekindled sense of hope to continue being part of this collective effort in building alternative regenerative futures.
Above are some reflections on the talk given by Rachel Chak at the Green Lunar New Year event at Museum of the Home, jointly organised by the ESEA Green Lions last month, as part of a larger series of East & Southeast Asian celebrations intended to bring attention to climate consciousness. To find out more about Rachel’s work, check out malaya.world.References
[1] Ursula K. Le Guin. A Rant About “Technology” http://www.ursulakleguinarchive.com/Note-Technology.html
[2] Shinichi Nakazawa. Beyond Development: Rediscovering Nature’s Wisdom
[3] Social Imaginaries Project. https://socialimaginaries.org/the-imaginary-system-of-society/
[4] Karina Lagdameo-Santillan. Roots of Filipino Humanism (1)”Kapwa”. https://www.pressenza.com/2018/07/roots-of-filipino-humanism-1kapwa/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CKapwa%20is%20a%20recognition%20of,as%20equal%20fellow%20human%20beings.
