Archive for the ‘Biography’ Category
Sunday, September 28th, 2008
I have always admired Steve Jobs. For those who might not have heard of him, he is the founder of Apple Computer (now known simply as Apple Inc.) and is currently the head of both Apple and Pixar Animation Studios (bought out recently by Walt Disney, but still independently operated).
Mr Jobs is an idealist and a visionary, and he fits my definition of a ‘creative agent of positive change.’ He is known as a charismatic leader, and his detractors accuse him of being single-minded; they talk about the ‘Jobs warped reality field.’
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Tags: commencement, dogma, intuition, life goals, Steve Jobs, synergy
Posted in Biography, Candid corner, Spirit, Tools and technology, Unlocked | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, March 4th, 2008
There is ample evidence that our expansive materialistic industrial society has much to learn from aboriginal cultures which, throughout the world, have certain traits in common: a profound connection to Nature and deference towards its sacredness, societies built of small, human-scale units centered on family and community, and a system of government based on consensus and wary of the long-term impact of its decisions. Chief Seathl, who became chief of the Suquamish tribe in 1808 at the age of 22, captures well that spirit and wisdom in his famous speech given in 1854. It speaks of sound values, of recognizing the sacred character of Nature, of the attachment to the land where one’s ancestors are buried. It also describes the decline and resignation of the American Indians, and indirectly warns White Man of the future environmental and social consequences of his recklessness. (more…)
Tags: Chief Seathl, expansion, hallowed ground, land, Native American, Nature, sacred balance, West
Posted in Biography, Environment, Spirit | No Comments »
Monday, February 25th, 2008
R. Buckminster Fuller (July 12th, 1895—July 1st, 1983), engineer, poet, philosopher, architect, inventor, and visionary was the quintessential modern Renaissance man. Among many other descriptions, he was called “the PR man to the Universe.” His original and profoundly individual way of thinking led to a catastrophic business failure and bankruptcy in 1927; he had been attempting to innovate in the very conservative business of construction, which has traditionally been strangled by regressive codes and territorial trade unions. Profoundly shaken, he chose to embark on a lifelong experiment as “Guinea Pig B” to find out what one individual could do to help all of humanity become an enduring success, in a manner which would be sustainable and environmentally sound. He worked ahead of his time and left an impressive legacy of tools and knowledge in mathematics, architecture, engineering, philosophy, etc. One of the highlights of his life’s work is that he understood the importance of working at the interfaces, of transcending the boundaries that exist between the fields of human endeavour. In this line of thought, he was inspired by Nature’s synergetic mechanisms, its systemic quality, which makes it difficult to understand if you look at only one aspect at a time. This philosophy led to unique and extremely valuable inventions, with the geodesic dome being the most recognized. (more…)
Tags: architecture, Buckminster Fuller, design science, geodesic dome, invention, outlaw designers, philosophy, Spaceship Earth, synergetics
Posted in Biography, Energy, Environment, Shelter, Tools and technology, Unlocked | No Comments »
