A Speculative Society
THE NEONOMAD
Culture of the Future
Project Type: Speculative Design
Date: 2023
Role: Creator
Skills: Sustainable Thinking, Speculative
Design, Future Forecasting
The Society of the Neonomad was born out of the concept of human-life before the Agricultural Revolution, based upon the scientific findings and philosophical debates which argue that humans were never meant to be confined within four walls, but rather living a nomadic lifestyle.
My intention was to push this concept further, imagining what life could look like if humans took the technology and knowledge of today, and combined it with their historic roots in a fusion between the two eras. The result, in this imagined scenario, is a society which is fully sustainable and regenerative-- allowing humans to achieve a level of symbiosis with the planet which was lost when the first beginnings of domestic life developed.
01
The Challenge
How can we reimagine the future of humanity functioning as a sustainable and regenerative society?
02
The Process
Firstly, I had to find the root of the issue. I asked myself, "What makes society unsustainable"? To source the answer, I completed a great deal of historical research and anthropological studies surrounding the origins of human civilizations, in search of the root of the issue. I eventually concluded that the source of strife in our present-day reality was actually due to the rift created hundreds-of-thousands of years ago when humans left their nomadic roots in favor of permanent residences; resulting in the creation of personal possession, wealth, and greed.
To counteract this, I developed a plan for a new societal framework, outlining how this alternative future would originate, live, travel, function, interact, and ultimately thrive.
03
The Result
"The Neonomad" -- A society which uses the modern technology of the present, and the lifestyle of our ancient ancestors, to live regeneratively.
03a
I then designed an alternative economy that would support the imagined society, creating a structure that did not need a currency, and would simultaneously foster human connection, cooperation, and discourage greed or discourse.
03b
Technology
The idea of a nomadic society combined with modern technology and sustainability did have one major issue: power. To solve this, I created a concept for a solar powered thread, which could be incorporated into clothing, vessels, and vehicles
03c
Logistics
Finally, I began to look at how smaller components, such as the economic centers of this society would function and look.
04
The Outcomes
Overall, the development of the Neonomadic Society was an excellent exercise in imagining alternative futures for our current world. While it may seem outlandish or impossible at an initial glance, upon deeper inspection one can see that it is not only completely plausible, but also potential inspiration as humanity moves toward a brighter and greener future.