Resilient Networks by Xochitl Flores

A community's ledger: the Token Board, where trust is tangible and exchanges are validated by touch.

What if the key to surviving the future lies not in more technology, but in rebuilding trust, face to face?

Resilient Networks: Resilient Networks examines how Honduran communities could leverage localized, trust-based exchange systems to navigate the collapse of digital infrastructures and escalating climate crises.

Flores_11028, Honduras

Description

In a world grappling with the breakdown of digital trust, this project delves into how communities rebuild essential connections. 'Resilient Networks' presents a locally-driven system for exchanging skills and resources, stepping in when centralized, high-tech solutions falter. It embodies a fusion of traditional community support with adaptive technology. Explore a tangible model of how people come together, validate value, and sustain each other in a fragmented, increasingly uncertain future, examining the unintended behavioral and economic consequences.

Context

This world is marked by a fragmented infrastructure, frequent climate-related disasters, and a general distrust of centralized systems. Inhabitants, mostly in small, close-knit communities, rely heavily on local resources and interpersonal trust. Culturally, there is a strong emphasis on communal values, though that does not protect them from external pressures. The historical context is essential: the memory of failed technologies and broken promises shapes current behaviors, fostering a return to pre-digital methods, augmented—not replaced—by carefully selected and maintained low-tech alternatives.

Provocation

This work prompts reflection on our reliance on complex, fragile systems. Consider the current trajectory of centralized digital infrastructures and escalating climate impacts. Ask yourself: Where are the vulnerabilities? How are real-world communities responding. By exploring this alternative, what existing assumptions can we challenge?

Flores_11028's process

Inspired by sustainability movements and Honduran cultural resilience, Flores integrates these elements into this speculative design. The vibrant yet contradictory Honduran landscape—balancing communal values against globalized consumerism—deeply informs the work. Flores uses iterative model building and simulation, rooted in social network theory and behavioral economics. This project examines a scenario in a fragmented digital environment, projecting how humans adapt their interactions under duress. The goal is to offer a Honduran perspective on complex socio-technical systems under collapse, using insights from abstract models populated with context-specific parameters.

More about Flores_11028

Events leading to ‘Resilient Networks’

2024: Initial reports of smart contract vulnerabilities in aid distribution.

2025: First major cyberattack on a social network-based aid system in Central America.

2026: Increased frequency of extreme weather events disrupts digital infrastructure.

2027: Pilot programs for localized barter systems emerge in rural Honduran communities.

2028: Economic downturn limits investment in digital infrastructure maintenance.

2029: Collapse of a major cryptocurrency used in decentralized aid programs.

2030: Wide-spread adoption of the 'Barter Bank' initiative in Honduran communities.

2031: Development of the solar and wind-powered Offline Aid Network (OAN).

Imagined Future Scenarios Considered

Flores_11028 considered the following imagined future scenarios while working on this project

Smart contracts on social networks will automate the distribution of aid and resources to climate-displaced individuals based on their needs.

Extrapolated from Climate Displacement Is Also a Health Crisis - Project Syndicate

Virtual reality simulations allow citizens to experience the impact of policy decisions firsthand, promoting informed civic engagement.

Extrapolated from Factors influencing the adoption of e-government by female university students - Plos.org

Hypothetical Product Ideas Considered

Flores_11028 considered the following hypothetical product ideas while working on this project

Civic Restoration Corps

A national volunteer program focused on rebuilding trust in civic institutions through face-to-face community engagement and alternative data-driven models. Recruits repair physical infrastructure, run community events, and educate on critical thinking.

Barter Bank (BB)

A localized, skill-and-resource sharing platform (functioning offline when needed) that facilitates direct exchange of goods and services amongst displaced individuals and host communities. The platform uses a points system for accounting and builds trust by allowing communities to validate transactions.

Offline Aid Network (OAN)

A decentralized, mesh network powered by solar and wind energy that provides real-time information and communication capabilities during internet outages, facilitating offline coordination of aid distribution and community support. Users can share needs updates and barter locally.

De-Sim Toolkit

A subscription-based service providing tools and training to critically analyze VR simulations, detect manipulation, and understand biases. It includes data visualization and community discussion features.

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