Distinction, not individuality

“What we are all really after is not individuality, it is distinction, and distinction is achieved not by being different, but by being different in a way that makes us recognisable as members of an exclusive club”

— Joseph Heath & Andrew Potter. The Rebel Sell: How the Counter Culture Became Consumer Culture. Capstone Publishing. p219

Index

“Make the world work, for 100% of humanity, in the shortest possible time, through spontaneous cooperation, without ecological offense or the disadvantage of anyone.” - R. Buckminster Fuller

1. UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM

On sustainability
• The Story of Stuff (2016)
• See no evil (2016)
• Sustainability is a political problem (2016)
• Use it all up (2016)

2. UNDERSTANDING HOW THE WORLD WORKS

On nature
• Nederland als rivierdelta (2023)
• What more do you want (2021)
• Opposite directions (2015)
• Nature VS. artifice (2015)
• The lowest state of energy (2015)

On human nature
• All of us possess ‘strongly positive directional tendencies’ (2022)
• De richting van chaos (The direction of chaos) (2020)
• The collective consciousness (2016)
• An overture on consciousness (2016)
• What makes humans different? (2016)
• Distinction, not individuality (2016)
• Grief (2016)
• Human body heat map of emotions (2015)
• Existential conservatism (2015)
• Quote: Undercurrent (2015)

On the meaning of life and living
• You are a leaf on a tree that has been growing for billions of years (2023)
• You are not just studying for your future (2021)

On culture
• Culture overrules nature (2016)

On morality
• Scarcity / Gratitude (2017)

3. UNDERSTANDING HOW CHANGE WORKS

On the Next Level Society
• Quote: Ancient Heart (2023)

On behavioral change
• How do we open people up to the idea of change in a time that screams for control? (2018)
• People don't change (2020)
• The one-senctence persuasion course (2017)

On marketing sustainability
• How creative agencies will save the world (2017)
• Why don’t people change their unsustainable ways? (2017)
• Sustainability needs marketing (2016)
• The carrot, the stick, the scenery and the cool (2016)
• How our focus on individual accountability puts the brakes on progress (2016)
• Checklist for sustainability communication (2016)
• Rule #6 in sustainability communication: Don’t tell me I’m wrong (2016)
• Wanted: Adjective (2016)
• Framing farming (2016)
• We’re not saving the planet (2016)
• Brainstorm: Uitkomsten - Van weten naar willen (2015)
• Brainstorm: Oproep! (2015)

4-A. FIXING HOW WE DESIGN THE WORLD

On naturalness
• Why we crave naturalness (these days) (2015)
• 顺其自然 (2015)
• What is naturalness? (2015)

On naturalness in behaviour
• Quote: Love someone exactly as they are (2022)
• Part of the Art: Levenslessen van een kunstenaar (2020)
• Deep listening (2020)
• Naturalness in Taoism (2020)
• Comfort car (2016)
• Quote: Trust yourself (2015)
• Quote: Unapologetically herself (2015)
• Deep ecology (2015)
• Naturalness in human behaviour (2015)

On naturalness in art
• Tokkelen / En opeens maken je vingers een fout (2020)
• Quote: Beauty is found... (2019)
• What art does (2015)

Artworks of interest
• The artist-free art of Semâ Bekirovic (2020)
• 4'33" (2020)
• The Magic Carpet of Daniel Wurtzel (2016)
• The generative systems of Brandon Morse (2016)
• This photo of Loouis Fernandes (2016)
• The Lotus wall of Daan Roosegaarde (2015)
• The mobiles of Alexander Calder (2015)
• The drawing trees of Tim Knowles (2015)
• The barely controllable brushes of Fabienne Verdier (2015)

On naturalness in architecture
• Principles of a great playground experience (2017)
• Unscripted use (2016)
• Acting natural does not mean: re-enacting nature (2015)
• 9 basic principles of biomimicry (2015)

Architecture of interest: naturalness
• Change is life (2019)
• Movable homes (2016)
• University building in Kolding, Denmark (2015)
• New Andean (2015)

On livable architecture
• Co-housing: The Wandelmeent (2016)
• The 'Cauliflower neighborhood' and the 'Woonerf' (2016)
• An organic approach to city design, or: Getting out of the way (2016)
• To watch: The Human Scale (2016)
• Cars make us lonely (2016)
• Flex (2016)
• Everyman's architecture (2016)

Architecture of interest: livability
• Zumthor vs Hadid (2021)
• Pluralist Tower (2020)
• Kowloon Walled City (2016)

On naturalness in design
• Dynamic art, architecture and design (2020)
• The three scopes of human design (2017)
• 9 basic principles of biomimicry (2015)

Design works of interest
• AI-generated rugs (2020)
• Open Up lamp (2015)

4-B. FIXING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OURSELVES

On well-being, self care and happiness
• Enough (2023)
• On old age (2022)
• To care is to self-care (2020)
• Quote: A little bit of 'I want to save the world' (2020)
• 8 key rules of living - A manifesto by Alain de Botton (2020)
• Modes: Make every time, quality time (2020)
• Daily dents (2018)
• Alternative missions (2016)
• Quote: Lightly, child (2016)
• Education (2016)
• Exercise in the recognition of virtuous feelings (2015)

4-C. FIXING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BUSINESS AND SOCIETY

On responsible business
• Ethical marketing yardstick (2023)
• Notes on responsible marketing (2020)
• Notes on Net Positive Business (2020)
• Open brief aan Kees Klomp, deel 1 (2019)
• Open brief aan Kees Klomp, deel 2 (2019)
• Let's talk: Hoe ziet een responsible business er nu werkeljk nu? (2019)
• How big corporates frame our world in their benefit (and against ours) (2019)
• Public spaces should be ad-free (2018)
• Globalisation is not a natural phenomenon (2017)
• Judging the merit of a business (2017)
• The Business Ethic (2015)

On Positive Design & design ethics
• Think UX' talk over Positive Design (slides + podcast) (2018)
• On manipulation (2016)
• The essence of a gun (2016)
• We're bad parents (2014)

On privacy
• Deel 1: Het 3-factor model van privacy (2020)
• Deel 2: De uitdagingen van online privacy (2020)
• Deel 3: Zo kan privacy ook (2020)

Progressieve bureaus van Nederland, 2021
• Categorie: Digital (2021)
• Categorie: Branding & communicatie (2021)
• Categorie: Strategische innovatie (2021)
• Categorie: Product design (2021)
• Categorie: Systems change (2021)
• Categorie: Freelance collectieven (2021)

OTHER NOTES AND WRITINGS

On digital design, CX/UX, and technology
• Mind states, or: How to describe a User Experience (2016)
• Quote: The real problem of humanity (2016)
• Quote: Staying human in the Machine Age (2016)
• Quote: Good design... (2016)
• De slapende potentie van je Verbal Identity (2014)

On the travel & hospitality industry
• Cooperation across the travel sector: who’s in? (2018)
• Samenwerken in de reisbranche: wie durft? (2018)
• Travel sector seeks greater cooperation and more knowledge about travelers (2018)
• A state of liminality: How understanding traveler psychology can facilitate smarter investments (2018)
• A state of liminality: Hoe begrip van de psychologie van de reiziger helpt om slimmer te investeren (2018)

Miscellaneous
• MIMI-model (2023)
• The Unbearable Lightness of Being… isn’t that unbearable (2021)
• Quote: On writing (2020)
• Ghosts (2017)
• Link dump, 2 (2016)
• Link dump, 1 (2016)
• The Clock of the Long Now (2016)
• Learning styles (2016)
• Gentle reminder (2016)
• Summer (2016)
• Opinion-size-shape-colour-origin-material-purpose noun (2016)
• The perfect walk (2015)
• The mind grows thoughts (2015)
• Still there (2015)
• Bigger (2015)
• Trimennen (2002)

On minimalism
• Multiple articles published at Understanding Minimalism →

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