Fragmentos do Antropoceno (documentário, 2021, 26min)

Summary

The video script 'Fragments of the Anthropocene' explores the impact of human actions on the planet, dubbing our era the 'Age of Man.' It critiques the pursuit of power, technological advancement, and capitalism, which have led to environmental degradation and societal issues. The script challenges the notion of a singular, technology-driven future, advocating for diverse, sustainable, and democratic solutions. It calls for a reevaluation of our relationship with nature and technology, emphasizing the need for collective action and alternative narratives to secure a more hopeful future.

Takeaways

• 💥 The script begins with a reference to the first hydrogen bomb detonation, symbolizing the destructive power of humanity and the male-dominated view of strength and control.
• 🌍 It discusses the Anthropocene era, marked by human impact on the planet, suggesting that our actions have led to environmental degradation and the need for a reevaluation of our technological progress.
• 🚀 The script criticizes the Cold War and the arms race, highlighting how the struggle for power and dominance has left lasting marks on the planet.
• 💡 It challenges the belief in a Jetsons-style future promised by technology, arguing that we must abandon the idea of automatic progress and recognize the limits of our inventions.
• 🌿 The script addresses the concept of 'smart cities' and the role of technology in urban planning, questioning the motives of tech companies and the impact on democracy and citizen data.
• 🏙️ It examines the history of urban development, from Paris to Brasília, to illustrate the challenges and failures of top-down city planning.
• 🌱 The script advocates for a more inclusive and sustainable approach to urbanism, emphasizing the need for cities that serve the people and the planet, not just profit and control.
• 🌐 It discusses the exponential growth of technology and its unnatural impact on the planet, suggesting that we need to consider the context and goals of technological development.
• 🌿 The script calls for a shift in perspective, from a focus on profit and control to one that values life, resilience, and the interconnectedness of all beings on the planet.
• 🔗 It concludes by emphasizing the importance of storytelling and the power of diverse perspectives in shaping alternative futures and postponing the end of the world.

Q & A

What is the significance of the phrase 'It's a boy!' in the context of the script?

The phrase 'It's a boy!' is used to symbolize the representation of the greatest devastation caused by a weapon of mass destruction, the hydrogen bomb, being attributed to a man. It reflects the male-dominated view of power and the desire for control and dominance that has characterized much of human history.

How does the script relate the painting 'The Origin of the World' to the concept of war?

The script connects the painting 'The Origin of the World' by Gustave Courbet to the concept of war by mentioning a reimagined version of the painting called 'The Origin of War' by artist Orlan. This reimagining replaces the female subject with a man, symbolizing the male responsibility for wars that have had a significant impact on the planet.

What is the Cold War, and how does the script suggest it has influenced the world?

The Cold War was a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, characterized by a lack of direct large-scale warfare but an ongoing battle for global influence. The script suggests that the Cold War may have left deeper marks on the planet than previous conflicts, influencing the global political and economic landscape.

What is Moore's Law, and how does it relate to the script's discussion of technological progress?

Moore's Law is the observation that the processing power of computers doubles approximately every two years. The script discusses Moore's Law in the context of the expectation of continuous technological improvement and the belief in the limitless potential of human invention.

How does the script critique the idea of technological neutrality?

The script argues that technology is not neutral, as it is developed within a specific context and for a particular purpose, often driven by profit. It challenges the notion that technological advancements are inherently good and suggests that they can have significant impacts on the planet and society.

What is the Anthropocene, and why is it significant in the context of the script?

The Anthropocene is a proposed geological era marked by human impact on the Earth's ecosystems. The script discusses the Anthropocene as a period characterized by exponential growth and human-induced environmental changes, suggesting that this era requires a reevaluation of our relationship with the planet.

How does the script view the concept of 'smart cities' proposed by tech companies?

The script is critical of the 'smart cities' concept, suggesting that while tech companies propose solutions for efficiency and resilience, their primary interest may lie in the monetization of data. It raises concerns about the implications of data control on democracy and individual privacy.

What alternative perspectives does the script suggest for understanding and interacting with the world?

The script encourages looking beyond the dominant linear, male, and anthropocentric perspectives by considering indigenous knowledge, women's experiences, and other marginalized groups' insights. It promotes a complex, multifaceted understanding of the world that values resilience, relationship, and reciprocity.

How does the script discuss the role of technology in addressing global challenges?

The script challenges the faith in technology as a panacea for human-made problems, arguing that technology must be reconsidered within a broader context that includes social, environmental, and ethical considerations. It calls for a shift from a reliance on technology to a more holistic approach that values life and relationships.

What does the script suggest as a way to 'postpone the end of the world'?

The script suggests that by exploring alternative ideas, technologies, and ways of living, we can create different stories and futures that are more sustainable and just. It emphasizes the importance of diversity, resilience, and the rejection of a singular, dominant narrative.

Outlines

00:00

💥 The Anthropocene and Technological Progress

The paragraph introduces the concept of the Anthropocene, an era marked by human impact on the planet, with a focus on the male-dominated perspective of power and control. It discusses the historical significance of the first hydrogen bomb test and its symbolic representation of a male-dominated world. The paragraph also touches on the unrealistic expectations of technology to solve all problems, referencing the optimistic future envisioned during the Cold War and the belief in continuous technological advancement. It critiques the notion that technology will always improve our lives, suggesting that this belief needs re-evaluation.

05:04

🌱 The Illusion of Infinite Growth

This paragraph delves into the unsustainable pursuit of economic growth, as measured by GDP, and its environmental consequences. It highlights the exponential growth of technology and its impact on the planet, suggesting that this growth is unnatural and leads to systemic crises. The discussion includes the concept of the Anthropocene, starting from the industrial revolution and accelerating post-World War II, marked by nuclear tests and environmental degradation. The paragraph argues for a reevaluation of our reliance on technology and economic growth, emphasizing the need to abandon the illusion of automatic progress.

10:06

🏙️ The Evolution and Failures of Urban Planning

The focus shifts to urbanization and its challenges, with a historical overview of Paris's transformation under Napoleon III and the subsequent displacement of the poor. It contrasts this with the idealistic but flawed urban planning of Brasília, designed as a modern utopia but resulting in social exclusion and car-centric design. The paragraph critiques the new wave of 'smart cities' promoted by tech companies, which prioritize data collection and control over sustainable and democratic urban development. It raises concerns about the commodification of data and its implications for democracy and individual privacy.

15:08

🌐 The Role of Technology in Shaping Society

This paragraph discusses the influence of technology on societal structures and the potential for data-driven technologies to control and profit from human behavior. It questions the motives behind tech companies' interest in smart cities and the ethical implications of data collection. The narrative calls for a reevaluation of technology's role, advocating for its use in creating more democratic, participatory, and sustainable urban environments. It suggests that technology should serve the people and the planet, not just corporate interests.

20:08

🌿 Beyond the Anthropocentric View

The paragraph emphasizes the need to move beyond an anthropocentric worldview and to learn from indigenous, marginalized, and global southern communities about resilience and survival. It introduces the concept of positive and negative power, advocating for the power of refusal and the creation of alternative futures. The discussion highlights the importance of complex thinking and the recognition of multiple perspectives and intelligences. It calls for a holistic approach that values relationships with all beings on the planet and promotes coexistence over dominance.

25:11

🌱 Exploring Alternative Futures

The final paragraph summarizes the video's call for a diverse range of alternative ideas and technologies to create a more sustainable and just future. It lists various movements and concepts, such as free software, disobedient technologies, and ecofeminism, that offer different paths forward. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the importance of storytelling and the collective exploration of multiple futures, suggesting that these narratives can help us postpone the end of the world and work towards a more hopeful and inclusive future.

Keywords

💡Anthropocene

The Anthropocene is a proposed geological epoch that marks the period during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment. In the video, it is mentioned as a new geological era characterized by human impact on the planet, starting from the industrial revolution and accelerating post-World War II with events like nuclear testing and pollution, illustrating the profound and lasting effects of human actions on Earth's systems.

💡Exponential Growth

Exponential growth refers to the rapid increase in a quantity where the rate of growth is proportional to the current value. The video discusses this concept in the context of technology and economic models, such as GDP, which assume constant and无止境的 growth. However, it challenges this notion by pointing out the unsustainable nature of exponential growth on a finite planet, using examples like the adoption rates of technologies and the environmental consequences of such unchecked expansion.

💡Technological Disruption

Technological disruption describes the radical change that new technologies bring to industries, economies, and societies. The video script mentions this in relation to the unintended consequences of technological advancements, such as climate change and pollution, which have disrupted the natural balance and led to a re-evaluation of the belief in technology as a universal solution to problems.

💡Capitalism

Capitalism is an economic system based on private ownership of the means of production and the creation of goods and services for profit. The video critiques the capitalist narrative that emerged post-Cold War, suggesting that it has led to an unsustainable pursuit of growth and profit over environmental and social well-being. It also ties this economic system to the Anthropocene, where the drive for profit has exacerbated environmental degradation.

💡Smart Cities

Smart cities are urban areas that use data, technology, and the Internet of Things (IoT) to improve services, efficiency, and quality of life for residents. The video questions the concept of smart cities, particularly when driven by corporate interests, suggesting that they may prioritize profit over the well-being of citizens and the environment. It highlights the potential for data control to influence democracy and societal structures.

💡Moore's Law

Moore's Law is the observation that the number of transistors on a microchip doubles approximately every two years, which has historically meant that computing power also doubles at a similar rate. The video uses Moore's Law as a symbol of the relentless pace of technological advancement, questioning whether this pace is sustainable and beneficial, given the broader social and environmental impacts.

💡Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

GDP is the total value of goods and services produced within a nation's borders over a certain period. The video critiques the reliance on GDP as a measure of economic success, arguing that the constant pursuit of GDP growth leads to overconsumption and environmental harm, as it does not account for the depletion of natural resources or the well-being of the population.

💡Urbanism

Urbanism is the study and design of urban settlements and cities. The video references urbanism in the context of historical and modern attempts to plan and redesign cities, such as the transformation of Paris under Napoleon III and the construction of Brasília. It discusses the successes and failures of these urban projects, emphasizing the importance of considering social equity and environmental sustainability in urban planning.

💡Data

Data refers to the information collected and analyzed to make decisions or draw conclusions. In the video, data is presented as a valuable resource in the era of smart cities, where its control can influence governance and democracy. The video raises concerns about the commodification of data and the ethical implications of data collection and surveillance, suggesting that data usage should be re-evaluated in the context of privacy and consent.

💡Anthropocentrism

Anthropocentrism is the belief that human beings are the central or most significant entity in the universe, and that the world exists for human use. The video challenges anthropocentric thinking, advocating for a more holistic view that recognizes the interconnectedness of all life and the environment. It suggests that moving away from anthropocentrism is crucial for developing sustainable and just societies.

💡Resilience

Resilience is the capacity of an individual, community, or system to adapt and recover quickly from difficulties or changes. The video highlights resilience in the context of indigenous and marginalized communities that have faced historical challenges, suggesting that their experiences and knowledge can offer valuable lessons for broader society on how to navigate crises and build sustainable futures.

Highlights

The phrase 'It's a boy!' symbolizes the male-dominated view of power and destruction.

The male perspective prioritizes strength and the ability to change the world with a single action.

The painting 'The Origin of the World' and its reinterpretation 'The Origin of War' highlight the male role in global conflicts.

The Cold War left deep marks on the planet despite being less violent than 'hot wars'.

The end of the Cold War led to the belief that capitalism is the final stage of human development.

The technological race promised a Jetsons-style utopia in the 21st century.

The belief in technology's ability to overcome challenges and improve everything is central to modern society.

Moore's Law, which predicted the doubling of computer processing power every six months, became a driving force in technology development.

The combination of climate collapse and technological disruption challenges the assumption of automatic progress.

Understanding that technology is not neutral and its development is not inherently good is crucial.

Exponential growth in technology, as seen in major online platforms, is not natural and has significant impacts on the planet.

The Anthropocene, a new geological era marked by human impact on the planet, may have started in the 19th century.

Nuclear energy, while bringing advances, has also caused irreversible environmental problems.

The pursuit of endless growth through GDP is unsustainable on a finite planet.

Urbanism and city planning have become critical fields of study as more people move to cities.

The smart city concept, promoted by tech companies, may not always align with the best interests of citizens.

Data, often referred to as the new oil, is produced by people and its control can influence democracy.

The belief that technology will solve all problems is a form of faith that needs to be abandoned.

Learning from indigenous peoples and marginalized communities can offer alternative ways of thinking and surviving.

The power of saying no and refusing to follow imposed directions is essential for creating alternative futures.

The world requires complex thinking and multiple perspectives to address its challenges.

The interconnectedness of all beings on the planet must be recognized for a sustainable future.

There are many alternative ideas and movements that propose different visions for the future.

Transcripts

[Music]

''Postponing the end of the world is to tell more stories"

[Explosion]

[Title] FRAGMENTS OF THE ANTHROPOCENE. [Radio1] It's a boy, copy that.

[Radio1] It's a boy.

[Radio2] Roger That. It is a boy.

[Narrator] When the United States detonated the first hydrogen

bomb in the world, in 1952,

the military man responsible for the test sent this message:

"It´s a boy!"

This image and this sentence are a good summary of our times.

The greatest devastation ever caused by a weapon of mass destruction

being represented by a MAN.

This is the world we live in today, a man's world.

A male view, this idea that the more strength the better.

Concentrated power. The ability to change everything quickly.

To destroy or to create with the push of a button.

The desire to become some kind of god.

Perhaps you are familiar with this painting called The Origin of the World,

made by the realist painter Gustave Courbet in 1866.

It's an erotic piece. Some people call it pornography,

not art. Anyways, this work was

the inspiration for this other, made more than 100 years later, by the French artist Orlan

The name of this rereading, which has a man in the place of the woman, was The Origin of War

Men were responsible for three wars that had gigantic impacts to the planet.

The first two were so-called hot wars, with millions of deaths in the trenches.

An open conflict between several countries.

The third started in the middle of the 20th century and it became known as the Cold War.

Man It's called a Cold War,

because armed forces,

although used as a threat,

are rarely unleashed,

and blood is not spilled as in the massive battles that

we think of as war.

It was more of a power and worldviews struggle than a world-class armed combat.

But it may have left deeper marks around the planet,

even more than the previous ones.

When the Soviet Union imploded, the socialist utopia seems to have disappeared with it.

And the capitalism defended by the United States seemed to be end of the story.

Even today, it's practically impossible to imagine the future without it.

This narrative that capitalism is the final point of human development maybe is the main consequence of that war.

Music

It was also a very specific vision of the future.

The technological race promised Jetsons-style utopias, which would be happening now, in the 21st century.

It was the future within reach of the hands.

We would dominate nature in the name of a better, longer and fuller life.

And since the machines would do all the work, we would also have more free time.

We still believe in this version of world, where technology will always be

able to overcome challenges and improve everything. That there are no limits to what the

human invention can achieve. And that even if we are not able to imagine

solutions to the problems of the future, artificial intelligences that are better

and faster than the human mind will be able to solve any situation.

Nano robots will eat garbage from the sea or that clean the fat in our blood,

no matter how many big macs do you eat.

It looks like our timeline is a continuous evolution towards something better,

but it is precisely this belief that is

the central point we need to re-evaluate so we can move forward.

This idea of inexorably ​​bright futures

becomes stronger in 1965, with the mathematician Gordon Moore.

His prediction was that every six months, the processing capacity of

a computer would double and its size would decrease by half.

This became known as Moore's Law, and for decades,

it was as if it worked like a law of physics, like the Law of Gravity.

Everything gets better and better, always.

Life expectancy has increased, medicines, vaccines, and maybe a good part of the people in the world, now live not just

longer, but better with hot water and a sewer system. The basics.

The younger generations had greater education, health, and jobs than the previous ones.

But with the combination of climate collapse and technological disruption, the younger generations

will be lucky if they stay in the same level as their parents.

We urgently need to abandon this impression that things will get better

automatically, at any cost. That it's just not true.

First, it is necessary to understand that no technology is neutral, and not all

technological development is good. There is always a context, a goal for

which anything was created.

You can even use a revolver as paper weight, but it was made for another purpose.

Technology is not neutral.

Many of the advances we see today are thought of as a source of profit.

Not profit as it was in the 20th century, but exponential profit,

as it has occurred in the major online platforms, Facebook,

Apple, Amazon, and Google.

The exponential growth represents what doubles of size every determined period of time.

Babies or trees, for

example, have a linear growth: they grow centimeters a year, slowly.

New technologies have grown in a exponential way. The phone took

half a century to reach 50 million users. Television, 22 years old. The cell phone, 12

The internet 7, years. Facebook, 4. The Pokemon Go mobile game did that in 19 days.

Growing exponentially it's not very natural.

This growth generated impactful changes on the planet.

Scientists debate whether it would be the case of saying that we have entered a new geological era,

an era marked by human action on the planet.

This era has been called the Anthropocene, the Age of Man.

The Anthropocene would have started in some moment of the 19th century, around the

industrial revolution, and it would have started a exponential acceleration period in 1945.

This was the year that World War II ended, when the United

States dropped two atomic bombs over Japan, killing more than 300,000 people.

After that more than 2 thousand nuclear tests have already been done in the world.

Nuclear energy brought advances, illuminated cities, but at the same time it has

caused perhaps irreversible problems: leaks in nuclear power plants destroyed

entire regions of the planet.

In addition to nuclear energy, the planet has been altered by air pollution,

by garbage in the seas, by consumerism and it's constant encouragement to

produce and sell more everytime, generating disposable products and

impacts on nature.

Even though recognizing that the current way of life is unsustainable,

we keep chasing the same goals as decades ago, but

expecting different results.

Making mistakes is human, but insisting on the error,

making the same old things while waiting different results

is the own definition of madness.

In the economic front, the same story.

The main objective of the countries has been to seek growth from a

calculation called Gross Domestic Product.

This is the sum of all richness produced in a certain territory within a year.

It's the sum of the value of all products sold and all services provided.

The more a country produces, the more you sell products,

the more GDP grows.

Aiming for the growth of GDP permanently is to seek a

steady growth of the economy in world, an exponential growth.

There is no way to sustain such growth, in terms of the energy needed for the

production, or by the waste produced by this consumption.

It seems obvious, but it is necessary

say it that is not possible to grow infinitely on a planet that is finite.

Few things in nature have exponential growth, because this type

behavior usually leads to systemic crisis.

Tumors have exponential growth.

Also viruses, which cause epidemics.

The human being is a social animal.

It chose to live together, in agglomerations.

More than that, after they learned to plant food, they decided that they would stay in a

single place, instead of walking around the world without fixed home,

which brought more stability.

That's how cities started. In 2050, 70% of people in

world will live in some city, with neighbors, and only 30% will live

in the countryside, in rural areas, far away from everyone.

At the turn of the year 2000, there were 371 cities with more than 1 million

inhabitants in the world. In 2020 there were more than 550, 17 of them in Brazil.

It is estimated that in 2030, there will be more than 700, of which at least 40 will be

megacities, with populations larger than than 10 million inhabitants.

Thinking about how to make better cities became a field of study: urbanism, turned

also a field of discussion. Best for who? According to what point of view?

A well-known story is that of Paris. Napoleon the Third, nephew of that

Napoleon that we know, was the first president elected by direct

vote in France, in 1848.

Along with the mayor of the city, he made a plan that

it would change the French capital completely. Nearly 20,000 historic buildings

were demolished, giant avenues were open, parks and buildings lined, cream shaded,

neoclassical style buildings were built. They made a underground sewer and gas system

public toilets, rows of trees.

In 20 years, Paris was something else.

No other city had changed so much, from an urban planning.

It was beautiful. We will always have Paris.

But not everything was pretty.

At least 350 thousand people were expelled by the gigantic works.

There began the process of putting the poorest in periphery,

leaving the center for whoever could afford better rents.

There, major renovations and plans for

building cities of the future from a blank slate started.

In 1925, the architect Le Corbusier made another projectto demolish Paris again.

That didn't come forward, but Corbusier's ideas took effect in other places. His futuristic

vision arrived in Brazil, and was able to build a city from scratch, in the middle of a desert.

[Record} Brasília, in 1957 was an extension of arid and desert land,

where everything was yet to be built.

Building a city is a gigantic and arduous task.

But Brasília was born from the hands of pioneers,

inspired by the deepest faith, and dominated for the sincere love of the land.

Brasília is an urban Utopia that went wrong.

It was designed by technicians from modern architecture, who imagined a

city ​​where ministers and doormans could live on equal terms.

With one range of services offered in a way no one needed to travel much

to get access to the basics.

On the contrary, it has become a great example of exclusion,

where the highest per capita income inhabitants of in the country live in the

planned city, while pockets of poverty formed in satellites cities.

Furthermore, Brasilia was planned for cars.

This idea of future and speed. Cars, today we know, are not exactly the best future possible.

Today, other technicians try to propose new urban utopias, and again

all as an utopian city that only them know how to make.

Now they are programmers and tech companies claiming to know how to make cities better.

"Reloaded modernism" proposes something that has been called smart cities.

No longer concrete, glass, and wide avenues,

but cables of optical fiber, networks, and above all a software infrastructure,

monitoring and capturing data.

According to these new visionaries, with data and with more information

it is possible create a future where everything works well.

The advertising is actually beautiful: How to make cities

more efficient and resilient for those who live and work on them?

How will cities meet the needs? The answer is to put the

technology in innovation at the service of citizen. And our company can help

this way. How? Our platform does the diagnosis and mapping of solutions

to make cities smarter and more efficient. We collect and cross the data

from more than 100 indicators. Based on our marketplace with more than

100 suppliers, we identify the best solutions, regardless of your

need and budget. Our data will be able to anticipate problems. Your city

can be smarter! Access our platform and find out how. Upgrade your city!

But there is one thing that is not said in none of these advertising pieces.

The interest of technology companies is not just selling new tools

for governments. They say data is the new oil. The only difference is that the

oil will run out one day.

Mapping people and processes of a whole city is very profitable.

Only that data is not oil. Data does not come from the Earth.

Data is produced by people, even if they don't realize it.

A city with millions of people can be a great opportunity for whoever

profits from data. And megacities can be mega opportunities. Whoever controls the

data will decide what type of democracy we will have - and even if

we will have democracy or not.

An internal Google video defended the following hypothesis: a world in which

everyone's data was captured could be a better world.

So, governments or companies could influence the

decisions of individuals in a personalized way, to create a better society.

Called Google Ledger, it would be as a diary of each person, with all

the places they go, what they write, or even what they say. Facebook has a

clause in the terms of use that allows it to record what you say near the cell phone

without your knowledge. Surely you already went through it. Like receiving an ad about

a hotel after commenting with someone that you need to take a vacation.

Let's go back to the central point: the technologies are not neutral.

we can have a smart city with cars that drive alone, but

could also be quite smart to reduce the number of cars, have more

and better public transport that pollutes less, preferably. We know that the

technology and innovation can serve the profit, to control systems. But which ones

are the possible technologies for better worlds? How would cities be

smarter to improve the lives of people, generate greater social participation,

more democracy? What technologies can us help save the planet?

Where are the smart citzens?

Part 3- Abandoning the Ilusion of Control

When a species attacks all too much, the ecosystem isolates it, and if it

it does not lose its ferocity, it is eliminated. The planet is occupied by man, who,

we know, it's destructive. And the current stage of capitalism accelerates these

destruction processes. The profit, not the life, has been the compass that guides man.

Coronavirus is a disease of the Anthropocene. The earth is defending itself

against systematic attacks we have done to it in recent decades.

Humanity also suffers from diseases of this era focused on productivity without

limits. The lack of sleep, work 24/7 the bigger and bigger goals. All this

generates more anxiety, stress, depression and the increase in exclusion and inequality.

The idea that man can be a machine, that the world is a great

computer system and which cities are factories of living, reaffirms technology

in the center the narrative as the solution for everything. The belief that the

technology will solve all man-made problems is a

kind of faith. It is necessary to abandon that faith in technology and change our actions

because there is no God Ex-Machina. At the Greek theater, this expression was used

when a dramatic problem was solved by a God who sprang from anywhere,

descending from the heavens with the help of a machine that at the time

were cables, ropes and pulleys. No God will spring from our fiber optic cables.

to prevent the end of the world, but there are other possible paths,

other possible futures. If we look for the native folk, for the

women, for black people, peripheral populations, the people of the Global South,

we can learn something about resistance, about resilience, about how to survive

in difficult times.

The environmentalist Ailton Krenak said that, in the coronavirus epidemic, he was

worried about whites, who never were attacked like this before, never

suffered genocide, as the natives have suffered for hundreds of years. The whites

they don't know how to survive. We live too on the domain of the linear Cartesian thought,

We see the world in such a way and we look for answers based on a

determined path of how to understand the things around us. But there are others

ways to see the world. There are others technologies. There are other intelligences

There are two forms of potency. The positive power is the power to do something

The negative power, on the contrary, is the power of not doing, the power of

saying no. It's not about impotence, about the inability to do. It is about the

affirmation of the no. The refusal to go on a given direction, refusing to do

which is imposed. It is necessary to deny the world that is being imposed on us.

To invent other possible futures. The idea is not to replace a form of

thinking for another. Inventing just one possible future and trying to make the dispute

in relation to what is posted. It is not about looking for a single answer.

Nor there is only one way. Every complex problem has a simple, obvious and wrong

solution. Finding a simple and objective solution would be the Cartesian,

linear, male and anthropocentric way to think.

The world is complex, and therefore requires a complex thinking. It is not right to

replace one map with another. This still would be to insist on the error. There is no

map, there are thousands of maps. Nor we are alone on this planet.

It will be necessary to take into account not just humans, but other beings

that inhabit this planet. For many cultures it doesn't make sense to say the

word nature, because everything is nature, including us. The view we have is that the

nature is there somewhere and we are here. Defending nature is

defend ourselves. It's fighting for our existence itself. The human being only

exists in relation to the other, independently of who the other is.

The desire for a relationship is the desire for exchange,

desire for life, for hope. If we don't have it, a lot more species will disappear.

And it will for sure shorten the time of the human season on earth.

The wish for life is the only thing that will bring us a new future with more joy.

[Music]

The question that remains in the air, and is always asked is "But what can we do?"

There are people doing a lot of things. In many different places.

None is able to face the crisis alone. All have strengths, limitations

contradictions and similarities. We are proposals under construction. Complementary.

Capable of creating other futures. Let's count these stories and others.

Different stories can show us different futures...

...and postpone the end of world.

There are many alternative ideas in the world

These are just a few of them

Free software and Open Source

Hacker culture and Free culture

Disobedient technologies

Commons

Citizen Labs

Cosmovisions of Good Living

Amerifricanity

Xitique

Participatory budgeting

Social coins

Ubuntu

Satyagraha

Marronage

Ungrowth

Ecofeminism

Food sovereignty

Solidarity economy

Urban Forests

There are many others ideas

There are alternatives

We can tell another stories

This work was based on research for a phD in progress

named Smart Cities: new colonization designs

by Andre Deak with mentorship of Giselle Beiguelman from University of Sao Paulo

in the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism

Written by

Narrated by

Thanks to research and studies of