About this site
“If not this, then what?“
As someone which a design mind I can’t help but look for ways to improve the world around us (and perhaps: inside us). This leads me to ask all kinds of questions, big and small, and on all levels.
Some of my favourite challenges:
- How can we change people’s perception of prosperity?
- How can we get ourselves to rekindle their relationship with nature?
- How can we teach The Netherlands to start repairing again?
- How can one run a commercial company while still being respectful to their customers?
When looking for answers, I find myself taking a radical approach—radical as in: “getting to the root” of things. I seek to uncover root causes and original sources, as opposed to surface level explanations, ultimately to explain it simply and confidently.
I often find myself synthesising ideas and concepts from differents scientific domains, attempting to define strategies that help bring our world to the next level. Somehow this also often results in new models that aim to visualise my newfound insights.
I use this site to share these, mixed with small brainfarts and things I’ve found, all very much for the reason of getting your ideas in return. You can’t do me a bigger favour than commenting on these posts.
Thanks,
Maarten
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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