WHAT IS CIVIC DESIGN?
Civic Design is a practice that focuses on the common good outcomes of our communities by pulling upon all of the institutional tools in our communities, beyond our traditional sole focus on government alone. Regulating our communities into better health and prosperity, writ large, is more than passing laws and warring over angry left vs. right politics. We simply cannot afford that type of narrow thinking anymore, and that is more than a mere financial commentary. We simply cannot afford to be that uncreative in these historically dynamic times.
NOT LEFT. NOT RIGHT. FORWARD.
Civic design acknowledges that the most pressing issues facing our communities are full of complexity and lie beyond the capabilities of any one institutional form. Institutions such as governments, businesses, non-profits and non-governmental organizations are all built to excel at certain goals and none of them are designed to do everything well. It is only when we weave those tools together that we gain the capacity to sustain a forward movement.
THE WHOLE TOOLBOX.
Civic Design is practiced with the understanding that without exception, our societal challenges are not problems to be solved, but rather a series of dilemmas to be better managed. When we think we have “fixed” something we not only delude ourselves to the ever-changing nature of our society but we affix political dogma to our particular approaches. The only dogma that Civic Design respects is a continued focus on the following outcomes for our communities:
- Safety
- Good Health
- Productivity
- Innovation and Creativity
- Preserved and Constructed Infrastructure
- Passage of Knowledge and Wisdom
- Justice and Morality
- Optimism and Happiness
Nate,
I have subscribed to your blog. I think you have a fascinating point of view. May I suggest that one of your blog posts is about the best mind-blowing books on “the way forward” or “knowledge we should know” or something. You are like an oracle. I would be interested in your book recommendations.
Cheers!
Paul,
Thanks so much for your comments. I’m so sorry for the late reply….this just got lost on me. I’ll certainly keep an eye out for book suggestions. One of my favorites that I’ve read lately is an older autobiography but it’s a good one: Harry Truman’s Plain Speaking. While I do plenty of reading about future trends, I must say that I often time refer back to history for contextual understanding. So much of our world is still shaped by post WWII actions and Truman, of course, was in the thick of it. And they really don’t make many politicians like him anymore as well!
Thanks again for the comments.