Now is the Wifi of our Discontent?

It’s a phrase that popped into my head the other day, my brain conjuring up the reworked version of the opening lines of Shakespeare’s Richard III, “Now is the winter of our discontent…”

I was reflecting on the way that the saturation of our lives with wifi connectivity brings consumerism into our homes in a variety of direct and indirect ways – and, by extension, can also bring the discontent that often attends consumerism. 

Less but Better: Life by Design

When I surveyed readers of this blog, one of the strongest themes that emerged was a desire for greater clarity in your lives. So what kind of deliberate experiments might help along that journey?

Well, recently I’ve been mulling on the phrase “Less but better”.

It’s the credo and book title of German designer Dieter Rams, famous for his minimalist approach to design and an influence on the design aesthetic of Apple.

You may have seen a video spoof that was created a number of years ago re-imagining Apple packaging in the Microsoft packaging style of the time. It demonstrates beautifully the merit of the ‘less but better’ principle in design.

 

Of course, it’s not just in design that Rams’ credo is worth consideration. The deliberate design of our lives should also prompt us to consider the ways in which ‘less but better’ might be worth implementation. 

In my own life, I’ve been experimenting with designing a life of greater clarity by pursuing ‘less but better’…