Culture overrules nature

My kids (2 and 5 years old) are fighting over a tv show; the one likes it, the other one wants to watch something else. What do I do: Do I make them figure out a way to come to an agreement, or do I just give them each a separate screen?

Our society is based on a strategy of cooperation; working together, rather than each for ourselves. That’s why our (internal) culture upholds values like empathy, respect and selfishness.

My kids show little or no sign of such values yet…

And that’s how culture works: it overrules nature. We socialize our children to control their greed, selfishness and other traits that are non-favorable for a steady society.

What I notice though, is that the technologies that are currently emerging from Silicon Valley seem to encourage non-cooperative behavior, and reducing the need for cooperation. In my case: giving children each a separate screen.

I expect that this could have an effect on our society.

But is that a bad thing?

Index

1. UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM

On sustainability

2. UNDERSTANDING HOW THE WORLD WORKS

On nature

On human nature

On the meaning of life and living

On culture

On morality

3. UNDERSTANDING HOW CHANGE WORKS

On the Next Level Society

On behavioral change

On marketing sustainability

4-A. FIXING HOW WE DESIGN THE WORLD

On naturalness

On naturalness in behaviour

On naturalness in art

Artworks of interest

On naturalness in architecture

Architecture of interest: naturalness

On livable architecture

Architecture of interest: livability

On naturalness in design

Design works of interest

4-B. FIXING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OURSELVES

On well-being, self care and happiness

4-C. FIXING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BUSINESS AND SOCIETY

On responsible business

On Positive Design & design ethics

On privacy

Progressieve bureaus van Nederland, 2021

OTHER NOTES AND WRITINGS

On digital design, CX/UX, and technology

On the travel & hospitality industry

Miscellaneous

Other pages