zymotux

Time for an Inquiry-style post, from the title with altered Simple Minds lyrics to the quotes from other blogs – here goes:

“Cosy adhocracy has an aesthetic all of its own. Village fetes, street parties, the vaccine roll-out. That Great British Bake Off tent is tapping into some deep vibes.”

Quote within a quoted blog here, not sure how to do that... but thanks to CJ Eller for introducing me to this notion. “Cosy adhocracy” just tickles me as it sounds like the acceptable, homely face of anarchy, gently pushing back against the forces of globalisation, making sure they don't uproot our sense of local community. It also invokes nostalgic yearnings for a type of days-gone-by “knowing your neighbours”, “all in this together” society that we romanticize but often grew up out of necessity and adversity. Having said all that, there's a street near where I live that superficially looks like all the other streets yet somehow embodies this notion of cosy adhocracy. There is an annual street party. Bunting can often be seen linking the trees on the pavement or fences from one terraced house to the next... I even once saw someone carefully planting extra little plants in the soil around one of those trees! I think overall even if I gently mock the hipster-sounding concept there is something aspirational and life-affirming about it – I would quite like to live in a cosy adhocracy.

Sticking with the spirit of revitalising communities but in a more planned fashion:

Today, the park is the center for community activities and sports. Thousands enjoy walking, biking and jogging. The restoration created job opportunities, relived the spirit of Marikina and empowered the community. Marikina River is not healthy yet, but awareness has been created. Hopefully neighboring cities will start seeing that enhancing a river can lift a whole city.

Totally agree! Loved reading this case study, a nice counterpoint to the previous one by the same blogger. Not mentioned in this blog but related – over the next little while keep a look out for the term “Nature-based solutions”. This will be big at COP26 in Glasgow in November but also reflects a wider movement to tackle the twin biodiversity and climate crises as well as provide opportunities to enhance human wellbeing.

Meanwhile, touching on another battle for future visions of society playing out through the internet:

The redistribution of data ownership and rewards while maintaining its security is the defining characteristic of Web 3.0 and it is here where Europe's digital values and those of this generation of the internet can converge to define digital sovereignty based on decentralised technology.

A lot of thought provoking stuff here – thanks! I wasn't aware of the European level initiatives such as GAIA-X and will have to look into them a bit more...

Finally, time to change gear after that intellectual read:

Once upon a time I was falling in love
But now I'm only falling apart
There's nothing I can do
A total eclipse of the heart

Here in Wales we always have time for some Bonnie Tyler! Epic tune! It's one of the songs we sing to get our baby to sleep, albeit a little gentler and quieter. The music video is a bit disturbing though (“Turn around Bright Eyes!”). Suitable moment as well to pause and be thankful for the career of the recently departed Jim Steinman, who wrote this along with early Meat Loaf classics.

...and that's all for tonight. It was kinda fun – I can see why Inquiry posts like this now!

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Entry 89 of my participation in the “100 Days to Offload” challenge – find out more and join in!

2021-05-16 #100DaysToOffload #blogging

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