Discussing the Book of the Month

May 2005 - In the Bubble

If you've ever found yourself saying, "bad TiVo!" design critic John Thackara is talking to you. At first blush, this copiously researched manifesto decrying the "schlock of the new" reads like a naturalist's indictment of the modern world. But there's more behind In the Bubble than tech-frustrated activism. Thackara brings his idealism down to earth with a rich narrative full of cleaner, simpler design innovations currently blossoming around the world--from misting showerheads and cheaper IV bags to e-learning on buses and "genetic" urban planning.

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Fast Take

Three quick pops from In the Bubble:

1. Man versus machine. Thackara calls for innovators to "design people back into the picture," looking to examples such as Whirlpool's hydroponic BioLogic system, which lends a human touch to the utilitarian task of doing laundry.
2. Make time. Once people have a larger role in the advanced technology around them, the next step is to free up the time required to appreciate it. Cultural comparisons shed new light on our concept of time. In Israel, for example, time is taught as a subject in schools.
3. Kumbaya. "Shared visions act as forces for innovation," Thackara points out, and change will require cooperative thinking globally. He highlights collaborative Web sites such as Slashdot and social networking hot spots LinkedIn and Orkut as tools to drive cultural understanding.