Hacking Societal Losses
Our modern society is built on the idea of progress: the present is better than the past, and the future will be better than the present. However, increasingly entangled crises are threatening this better future. Modern societies are experiencing loss — manifesting in social and economic security, optimism and trust in the future, equality and inclusion, culture and traditions, and the climate and environment. In result, they are becoming more pessimistic, fearful, and protective. Because these losses directly contradict our sense of progress, they are often suppressed and made invisible.
At the same time, new populist forces are rising. Feeding on fear, they hack their way into experiences of societal loss, and often strengthen them too, using strategies such as scapegoating, “us vs. them” narratives, and simplification and emotionalization of complex issues. This results in exclusion, discrimination, and nativism. While the political left critiques these methods, it often lacks concrete plans to address the underlying societal losses themselves.
This workshop explores how societal loss can also be seen as an opportunity for social reordering towards a more inclusive and just future. Together, we will:
1. Map experienced societal losses
2. Reflect on how communities are responding to these losses
3. Ideate around the prompt: “How might we hack our digital or physical environments to turn societal loss in to social cohesion?”
Together we will explore how we can acknowledge societal loss and turn it into a starting point for positive transformation.
