CG #026 - Using Curiosity and Creativity To Design The Future

Hello 👋🏾

Welcome to edition #026 of the Chase Growth Newsletter!

One letter goes out each Saturday encompassing but not confined to:

• Thought Provoking Perspective From Growth Obsessed Individuals

• Useful Gems To Build Your Brand/Business Online

• Curated Expert Tips For Health Optimization

Today's edition be a 5 minute read.

Let's dive into it.

Using Curiosity and Creativity To Design The Future

I’ve been creating more with Midjourney recently

I’m fascinated by what AI can come up with

As a creative, I feel like a kid in the park

The potential is literally endless

As I look across the internet I see a problem

AI seems to be making people less creative

It seems to be encouraging people to be lazy

Instead of using it to generate more ideas

Most of what I see is high-volume, low-quality work

The problem is really two-fold

The first is that AI tools are actually not that advanced

They are in their infancy

The other problem is that most people are AI illiterate

They don't understand how to maximize the tools

Personally, I just think it’s a phase

People like playing with shiny new tools

Creativity is far from dead

One great example is Neri Oxman and her team

I came across Neri last week

Her work is perception-altering

I won’t do justice to the scope of her work

However, I had a burning desire to share some of her story

So here we go.

Neri Oxman is a designer, architect, and former professor at MIT Media Lab.

She gave up her tenure at MIT to launch a company called Oxman.

Neri's work is inspired by nature

She often uses organic materials and shapes in her designs

Utilizing tech to create sustainable architecture is a big focus for her

She is also consumed with depleting boundaries between humans and nature

To the point where she wants to “build the iPhone for nature”

This is why she started her new company, “Oxman”

Oxman (the company), is a design and technology firm with a big focus

Building a future where human-made and nature-grown become one

They are developing new materials and processes that are inspired by nature

Their goal is to create more sustainable and innovative products and buildings

One notable project is the Silk Pavilion

This Pavilion is a structure that is made from silk that is produced by silkworms

It is designed to be lightweight and strong

Capable of providing temporary or permanent shelter

The work they are doing is still in the early stages

The signs are truly inspiring

It will be interesting to see what they come up with

Regardless of success or failure

Here are some actionable takeaways from Neri’s work

1. Stay curious and explore new ideas

Being creative is one thing

Backing yourself to share your vision with the world is another

There is something inspiring about bold creative concepts

People love getting behind projects like this

The prospect of changing the world is always enticing

Chances to create a “better” world are few

As kids, we believe everything is possible

As we age this enthusiasm fades like candlelight on a windy night

Embrace your childish curiosity and play

You will be surprised how many people get behind it

In the end, we are all just big kids

2. Use technology to solve problems

The rise of AI has brought this idea to the center of most things

“How can we use AI to improve our lives”

It is the question everyone is asking daily

I truly believe embracing tech is the way forward

I’ve said it before and I'll say it again

“Ai will not replace humans, but those who use AI will replace those who don’t”

But why stop at our day-to-day lives?

Neri asks…

“How can we use AI to save nature”

“How can we develop products that become trees after use”

“How can we create a world where buildings are grown and not built”

All very perspective-shifting questions

The types that need to be asked to push humanity forward

This scale of work is not everyone’s calling

But everyone can benefit from leveraging tech for themselves

3. Collaborate with others

Neri realizes she cannot achieve her goals by herself

She has a rule of always hiring in two’s

Two chemists, two microbiologists, two designers etc

She has joked about it being like “Noah’s ark”

It is easy to say her ideas are far-fetched

But who knows what her team of brilliant minds might come up with

They could build a vessel that saves humanity in the face of apocalypse

My Personal Thoughts

Of course, we all have our shortcomings

Neri is no exception to this law

Her work is very conceptual and theoretical

There are many problems which already exist

Yet she is trying to solve problems of the future

Solutions that might not be necessary

It is not clear exactly what the end result of her work is

It is hard to see how her projects translate to the real world

Not to mention it is extremely expensive

Had she not been a semi-famous MIT tenured professor…

Would she get funding to do this type of work?

I’m not sure, but one can argue she worked hard to deserve it

Don’t get me wrong…Neri Oxman’s work is great

But you can't help but think, “Why are we solving these problems?”

It’s giving, “rich kids with too much time and money”

I understand we need truly innovative thinking to push humanity forward

But at what point does creativity and vision become delusion?

For instance, in a recent podcast, Neri said something that shook me

Her company is creating products with a 1000-year product development cycle

This is contrary to everything everyone else is doing

Even Nike, one of the most innovative companies is going the opposite way

They have done away with a 10-year plan in favor of 3-month sprints

How can you possibly build something to launch in 1,000 years?

cough delusion cough

But who am I to speak about this great designer right?

I’m just a failed athlete trying to get my life in order

As much as Neri is the pinnacle of creative thought

She shows what happens when creative thought is completely unchecked

Potentially, she could do work that causes more “harm” than “good”

I guess we will just have to wait and see

TL;DR

How to Use Curiosity and Creativity to Design the Future:

1. Stay curious and explore new ideas

2. Use technology to solve problems

3. Collaborate with others

Food for thought:

October energy

You are what you constantly see, think and do.

Some interesting finds from last week:

📺 Watch this: Things To Consider When Buying A Jet

🎧 Listen to this: Neri Oxman on Lex Fridman Podcast

That’s it for this edition of the Chase Growth newsletter

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Until next time, take care

CH

When in doubt, Chase Growth