In a world of interconnected crises and rapid technological change, Digital Cultures provides a lens to explore how we interact with technology and respond to global challenges. The Digital Cultures class invited us to reflect on these dynamics, highlighting the importance of rethinking the narratives, metaphors, and values shaping our present and future.
Central to this exploration is the polycrisis: a web of overlapping challenges, from climate change to digital disruption, demanding interconnected solutions. The future is not predetermined but imagined and created through diverse actions and perspectives. Addressing this complexity requires critical hope—an active practice of engaging with challenges while envisioning alternatives to the status quo.
Defining Digital Cultures
Digital culture is deeply contextual, shaped by the design of digital tools and their embedded values. While the internet fosters connection and knowledge-sharing, it also raises questions of exclusion: Whose stories are represented, and whose are ignored? Similarly, the ideology of infinite growth in the digital economy conflicts with the finite nature of resources, urging us to anchor decisions in values like humility, empathy, and solidarity.
Crises of Sensitivity and Imagination
We face two pressing crises: sensitivity and imagination. The crisis of sensitivity is seen and reinforced in the detachment between digital abstractions—like the “cloud”—and their physical realities, such as energy, water, labor, heat, earth-intensive data centers. These metaphors and dynamics detach us from a truly harsh reality. The crisis of imagination reflects systems that choke creativity, reinforced now by AI, which replicates historical biases rather than inspiring new possibilities. AI is not the future but a capsule of the past, reshaping our relationship with time and progress in limiting ways.
The Role of Language and Metaphors
Language and metaphors are powerful tools in shaping how we perceive and act in the world. A metaphor is more than a figure of speech; it is a container of meaning that influences our individual and collective behavior. However, when metaphors feel abstract or alien, they lose their power to inspire action. For instance, the metaphor of the “cloud” suggests something intangible and infinite, masking the finite, resource-intensive reality of data centers.
To address these challenges, we must critically examine and, when necessary, reimagine the metaphors we use. This involves making them relatable and embodied, so they resonate with people and empower them to act.
Imagination and Design as Tools
Design fiction emerged as a compelling practice to reclaim imagination and creativity. It allows us to construct tangible artifacts of possible futures, turning abstract ideas into concrete provocations. By envisioning these futures, we can question the decisions we make today and their implications. Similarly, critical design challenges the meaning of the objects and systems around us, creating spaces for dialogue and ethical reflection. Creativity, like a muscle, must be exercised to envision alternatives to the dominant narratives. This is especially urgent in the face of technosolutionism. Such thinking overlooks the deeper systemic issues—capitalism, extractivism, and patriarchy—that underlie many of our crises.
Conclusion: Toward a Plural Future
It all is about questioning the narratives we inherit and create, to embrace complexity and plurality, and to imagine alternative futures. In a world of polycrisis, these practices are not optional—they are essential. The future is not inevitable; future(s) are ours to create.
Final Project
For our final project, we created a short film about a possible future. The scene takes place in New York, shown through Liam’s laptop screen. It’s set in a future where the main character chats with Alex/a, an AI from which he buys moods based on what he’s feeling. In this case, Liam is overwhelmed with work and wants to stay productive for a long time while also feeling relaxed and very happy. I think you can guess how this is going to turn out.
Below you can find the link to the video created by Maja Delali Mawusi, Lakshmi Narayanan Vadamalai and me.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-Oj8kOmr6Smu1fgn3vUl2dkWsez3Gff1/view?usp=drive_link
We also had a Bizarre Bazaar, where we turned trash and random objects into critical designs inspired by our short films. The discussions around these creations were incredibly enriching. We were able to see how our individual backgrounds were reflected in our creativity and how much we can learn by having fun and reconnecting with our inner child. Through imagination, new futures become possible.
