I got a lot out of this video essay from the youtuber Design Theory.

I’m also (still) reading How Infrastructure Works by Deb Chachra. It also has a challenge to imagine the best future.

I’m finding it hard.

So much of life and dystopian futures are about consumption - scarce resources to compete over. Perhaps there are clues in thinking about connections instead. Is the best future one where we can connect with those we live near and those we care about?

Social media moved from connection to consumption.

What would designing for true connection look like in technology? Would it connect people, place, passions all together? Can we get back to subcultures and expression having places to exist and shared boundaries to move between? (see A Pattern Language)

This model of consumption even shows up in how I think and talk about design systems — consumers and consuming teams.

I wonder what would be reshaped if the language was changed to connected teams?

Until then I’ll keep watching this beautiful Ad to promote yoghurt consumption on repeat.