NARRATIVE & STORY-TELLING

A Collective narrative with personal features.

The Seminar

"Each human is a heterogeneous compound of vibrant matter. If matter itself is lively, then not only is the difference between subjects and objects minimized, but the status of the shared materiality of all things is elevated." - I forgot who wrote this :-/

Spinoza
-   Substance Monism: Spinoza argued that there is only one substance in the universe, which he referred to as "God" or "Nature." This substance is the source of everything in existence, and everything is a mode or expression of this single substance.

-   Pantheism: Spinoza's concept of God is often interpreted as a form of pantheism, where God and the universe are one and the same. This view was highly controversial within religious and philosophical circles of his time.

-   Determinism: Spinoza believed that everything in the universe, including human actions and events, is determined by the laws of nature. He rejected the idea of free will, asserting that it was an illusion.

-   Ethics and Morality: Spinoza developed an ethical system based on reason and a striving for self-preservation and happiness. He argued that understanding the causes of our emotions could lead to greater self-control and ethical behavior.

-   Separation of Religion and Philosophy: Spinoza's ideas challenged conventional religious beliefs, and he was excommunicated from the Jewish community in Amsterdam. He advocated for the separation of religion from philosophy and politics.


Worlding
-   Worlding arises from non-representational theory providing a useful lens through which the process of human - non - human enmeshment can be considered.

-   Worlding affective nature of the world in which non-human agency consists of forms, rhythms and refrains.

-   Through this process a particular world merges for the individual through their engagement with a number of interrelated phenomena.

-   Worlding is informed by our turning of attention to a certain experience, place or encounter and our active engagement with the materiality and context in which events and interactions occur.
It is above all an embodied process - a way of being in the world - consisting of an individual’s whole-person act of attending to the world. Worlding is worlding, and what we need to do is word the world better.  


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Personal Feature

Raksha-sutra 

A red string tied around my wrist. It is just a simple string but carries significance meaning. My mother fasts every once a month on the day of a full moon, she offers a roll of this red string known as Raksha-sutra while praying. 

Raksha means protection and sutra means string. Once the praying is done, she ties this string to all the members in the family. The string signifies protection, love and care. It is a very spiritual belief and I value it incredibly. I chose this string as my feature because it connects me to my family and is a constant reminder for me to make wise decisions because there are people who are affected with them apart from myself.

This feature connects me to my family and also if looked at with a deeper point of view, is part of the reason why I am here and studying this course!

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Collective Storytelling

The second activity of this lecture was to find the connections within each other and the ties within all of us. As one person began, with an entire ball of string, the next person continued, creating a large cat's cradle. 

The main topics around the classroom based on what everyone added focused on our previous seminars, our learnings, our failures, our general bond as a class and what we have all experienced in the past month. 

I personally added about the fact that most of us in the class are all from different countries and continents, we have all faced the troubles that come with being expats in a completely new city. I also added a factor from my previous seminar of design intervention about not being able to obtain any public transport without owning an official identity (NIE, TIE, Passport etc). 

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The Inputs of the whole class

The Collective Class Narrative

Reflection

I found Laura's Design Studio class to be captivating, offering a unique perspective on the intersection of design and storytelling through the lens of philosophy. It provided me with a fresh outlook on how philosophical principles can influence our perception of the world.

Moreover, the class exercises were enlightening, helping me grasp the idea that an individual narrative can be intricately woven into a collective tapestry. Beginning with crafting my personal story, I discovered the interconnectedness of personal objects, realizing how they link me to a broader community. Collaboratively, we engaged in a class-wide effort to construct a web of stories, reflecting on the impact of recent weeks in the MDEF program on each of us and exploring shared experiences. This exercise offered valuable insights into my classmates' perspectives throughout the course.

In the culmination of the class, the collaborative writing of a collective story was a fascinating experience. Witnessing the narrative evolve through the collective contributions of the class was enjoyable, as it highlighted the challenge of relinquishing control and adapting to the unpredictable nature of group dynamics. This mirrored real-life scenarios where working in large groups can lead to unexpected outcomes and conflicts. The process not only broadened my understanding but also underscored the importance of effective group management in navigating such situations.

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