Va: The Echo of Shared Earth by Afa Tupua

Woven whispers of tradition and technology, echoing a world in balance… yet constrained.

What if the very land beneath our feet were no longer ours to own, but a collectively managed resource?

Va: The Echo of Shared Earth: A speculative design project that uses the Samoan concept of *Va* to examine the complexities of a world where land ownership is collective, and sustainability is enforced through centralized control.

Tupua_8125, Samoa

Description

This project explores the delicate balance between universal needs and individual freedoms. *Va*, the Samoan concept of sacred relational space, informs this reflection on a world where land is a shared resource. We invite contemplation… what unseen forces shape policies? … where do personal liberties reside in shared ownership?... How does centralized power impact ancient wisdom? ... Consider the interplay of control and care. Feel the weight of collective responsibility. What paths towards harmony remain unexplored?…This work seeks to unsettle, not to answer.

Context

The world exists under a seemingly benevolent global authority, committed to preserving all ecosystems. Lush, revitalized landscapes coexist with starkly uniform habitats. Communities, once vibrant and diverse, now navigate uniform regulations designed to maintain ecological balance. The oral traditions of sharing stories persist, yet they subtly carry tales of quiet resistance. This imagined world has a history carefully crafted, celebrating reclamation projects while burying the conflicts. This tension between a rebuilt and a constrained harmony fuels questions on the true cost for stability, creating an unsettling and relatable atmosphere with a sense of uneasy peace.

Provocation

This project compels you to confront the difficult balance between environmental needs and autonomy. Consider the trajectory of climate change and resource scarcity. Reflect on the increasing calls for global solutions. Question the potential tension between collective well-being and personal freedom. Should personal liberties be sacrificed?

Tupua_8125's process

Tupua, deeply influenced by environmental activism and philosophy, with cultural heritage informing the use of *Va*, the Samoan concept of sacred relational space. Oral storytelling traditions shape the narrative structure. Here they deconstruct land ownership notions to consider equity, sustainability, and how collective management impacts those ideas. They meticulously researched global land policies, envisioning a 2032 scenario of centralized control. The design process is driven by the synthesis of environmental concerns and philosophical inquiries, with a methodology defined by imaginative reconstruction, reflecting meticulous writing, and hypothetical model-building creating tangible expressions of complex, ethically challenging futures.

More about Tupua_8125

Events leading to ‘Va: The Echo of Shared Earth’

2024: Global climate summits increasingly focus on radical land reform proposals.

2026: Widespread ecological disasters trigger calls for centralized global resource management.

2028: The 'Unified Earth Charter' is ratified, declaring land a shared global resource.

2030: A global authority is established to enforce the Charter, leading to displacement and unrest.

2031: Resistance movement starts weaving coded messages through traditional crafts

Imagined Future Scenarios Considered

Tupua_8125 considered the following imagined future scenarios while working on this project

Land becomes a shared resource open to all, similar to air and water.

Extrapolated from Is South Africa ‘confiscating land’, targeting some groups as Trump claims? - Al Jazeera English

Neuro-feedback technologies enhance empathy and reduce implicit biases within law enforcement and judicial systems.

Extrapolated from Too Close for Comfort - The New York Review of Books

Company-sponsored brain-computer interfaces transmit real-time biofeedback data to AI wellness coaches, who then customize meditation exercises to optimize focus and collaboration.

Extrapolated from Christina Aguilera’s Weight Loss Journey at 44: ‘I No Longer Diet’ - Firstforwomen.com

Hypothetical Product Ideas Considered

Tupua_8125 considered the following hypothetical product ideas while working on this project

Neuro-Bias Decoder

An AI tool that analyzes the algorithms used by company-sponsored AI wellness coaches to identify and expose potential biases or discriminatory practices embedded in the system. Allows individuals to understand and challenge the system's influence on their behavior and careers. Promotes algorithmic transparency and accountability.

Pre-Cognitive Crime Prevention Program

Utilizes AI to predict who might commit crimes and requires these individuals to undergo mandatory neuro-feedback training. This aims to correct their 'deviant' thought patterns before any offence is committed, but raises serious ethical concerns about autonomy and freedom of thought focusing on thoughtcrime.

Mandatory Empathy Vouchers

A system where citizens can submit complaints against officials or individuals suspected of bias, triggering mandatory empathy training sessions funded by government vouchers. Limited avenues for complaint would be controlled and serve the purpose of social control.

Thought Privacy Firewall

A personal BCI security system that uses advanced encryption and decoy strategies to protect an individual's thoughts and brain data from unauthorized access or surveillance. Acts as a virtual 'mask' ensuring data sovereignty and protecting innermost thoughts.

Citizen Land Watchdog Program (CLWP)

A system designed to allow people to report potential abuses of centralized land planning systems. This includes the displacement of communities, misuse of surveillance technology, corruption, or lack of transparency in land management decisions. Reports are analyzed by a neutral body to ensure centralized control does not lead to authoritarian abuse.

Local Autonomy Negotiating Teams (LANT)

Legally mandated advocacy groups representing local and indigenous communities in negotiations with the central land authority. They are trained in environmental law, indigenous rights, and sustainable development, designed to promote genuine collaborations that respect localized ecologic and cultural needs.

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