note to self

i fail to understand why now....this is the way people are like...its only later when i am more wise...i understand why things happen the way they happened... i told you..i am always right...

Remember that essay i almost burst into flames over???

Here it is... I figured i'd share it... because actually... it has made me see the bigger picture now... i actually did ok in this essay... probably didn't deserve a B tho but any feedback is welcomed..good or bad..i don't really care as long as i passed lol! its over 2000 words long so if your are really bothered... go ahead..

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To what extent has capitalism influenced innovation?
The bigger picture has opened me up to explore and have greater knowledge about the issues and state of the world we live in today. Things that i never thought were problems concerning me as a future product designer have now been forwarded to my attention and have magnified my perspective.
Amongst the lectures in this project, the context and issues that were discussed were very broad. What interested me the most were the discussions of economics and capitalism, about authentic and false portrayals, ethical and unethical innovations, privatized and public spaces and the aesthetics vs functionality of the things we innovate today.
In a capitalist society, we focus on money as the fuel to make our world go round. Capitalism tends to put our needs 2^nd to making money.

Eliane Glaiser argues that hierarchy uses humility and authenticity to create illusions and that the media and governments uses propaganda and ideology to persuade us to a certain view (Glasier, 2012). In the study of consumer behavior today, we tend to buy products without thinking or caring too much. Evan Davis mentioned that we buy because we like the packaging more, that the thought of the befores and afters of our purchase isn’t considers as important (Davis, 2012). With the use of subliminal messages in our daily surroundings, it is quite easy for us to blindly ‘fall’ for what advertisers and the media is trying to get us to behave. After listening to their very convincing arguments, I do agree because I think a capitalist society uses this method to control us to behave a certain way. Alex Knight describes capitalism as a “Global System of Abuse”(Knight,2012)
In order to see the bigger picture of my position as a product designer, I first had to understand the broad range of issues, contexts and agendas that inform contemporary realities of the world we live in. I want to look into how capitalism affects the way we innovate globally.
To determine this, we first need to understand what capitalism is. An article I found on capitalism, describes it as:-

“an economic system that is based on private ownership and profit, needs to always be in motion.  Corporation X needs to invest money into some productive process, create some kind of commodity, put it on the market and sell it for a profit.  Corporation X can’t just be reimbursed for the initial investment with no profit and damn sure cannot lose money.   It is the foundation of the economic system that it realizes a profit. This is a cycle that must be in continuous motion day in and day out, constantly.  If this process stops or even slows down to a certain point, Capitalism will begin to go into crisis mode.This has made our society become more and more detached. What appears to be authentic in our society usually has a hidden agenda behind it such as the government campaigns.” (theunionthug :2011 http://nebraskaworker.wordpress.com)

It is a structure that has dominated our world and there are many pros and cons to it. I am going to look into three key areas of capitalism and try to show examples that could address my question. These areas will be about intellectual property, the separation of the hands and brain and ethics. I feel as a product designer, we need to address these issues to find solutions that can change the way we live and design in the future.
Intellectual property is the work or invention that is the result of creativity (Davis, 2012).As a designer, these are essentially our ideas we sell onto to clients. It can be protected by law when one applies for a patent, copyright or trademark. As mentioned before, capitalism focuses on money and profits, it’s a system where value is added to ideas that are more driven by how to make people spend more money, rather than how to improve peoples lives and focus on the ethical impacts itself. It a system where you can get rich very quickly because patenting an idea means other need to pay to incorporate your idea into their design, however protecting an idea can be quite inefficient.
One example to demonstrate this issue is the Samsung and Apple legal battle over patent infringements. As market leaders of electronics, they are constantly innovating in competition with eachother to make more profit. The products somehow end up looking quite similar, having similar functions and similar price tags. (see fig 1)
Fig 1.

The end result of this battle overall was a bit longwinded on both sides. They tried to sue each other for patent infringements and prevent each other from releasing their products and the results were still the same but with a heavy legal bill to pay out to their lawyers. I agree that there is nothing wrong with a bit of healthy competition between brands, but I think the more power they receive from being market leaders, the less human and environment centered their designs starts to become. These brands we have built trust with like Samsung and Apple have made a very public battle to have their ideas protected but as Clive Goodwin; senior creative director of Samsung for Europe said, ‘It would seem that it is tarnishing their image of being ‘designed for humans’ because we the consumers see that all they want is more money’(Goodwin, 2012). Ori ginally, the modern French patenting system was created during the industrial revolution to allow corporations to further monopolize as it could stop other from copying their innovations. However it would seem that this can be counter productive because as capitalism demonstrates to us, profit is the main goal, too much power in an industry can shatter the illusions that have been fabricated for consumers to believe. 
Fig 2.

Surprisingly the biggest benefits of innovations have come from intellectual property being shared. By designing for humanity, we can build on this shared knowledge and innovate better. One example of this was when Volvo invented the first 3-point seat belt in 1959 (see fig 2). Volvo decided that by not patenting this innovation and giving it away, the whole world can benefit, they were putting the consumers safety before profit. this has in turn saved millions of lives because of this innovation. I believe that open sourcing creates more benefits for our society because we can bring our ideas together, when did our world become so selfish and profit orientated? 
Capitalism encourages the separation of innovation and manufacturing. As corporations grow larger, they look for cheaper production and mass manufacture. This has lead to offshore manufacturing and very little physical design.
The countries that have adopted the industrial revolution from Britain since the beginning such as America, Japan, Korea, Germany and France; have evolved from manufacturing on to creating intellectual property innovations and services. Whiles developing countries like China adopted mass manufacturing for other countries very cheaply, and now they seem to have now dominated the manufacturing market in the world.

I think there is a problem with this because we are losing sight of unique craftsmanship and quality when we separate manufacturing like this. For some reason we have dropped centuries of tradition in manufacture and design problem solving in favor for the detached cold glow of the computer monitor. Instead of communicating and interacting with the manufacturers, we send electronic files and emails and Skype calls. Has making money become more important than centuries of craftsmanship? Has capitalism influenced us to behave like we are all just one tiny cog in its giant, well-oiled machine? I think so, but fortunately for us not all companies conform to the ways of mass manufacture.
Fig 3.
            Mark Wilkinson is a British product designer and master woodworker. His company focuses on the social aspect of kitchen design rather than the work aspect, insisting that his furniture exhibits the highest possible quality of build with an unprecedented degree of originality and nobility. Everything is handmade and crafted. If a mistake is made in the build, that part will be scraped and remade. With the extent of this much detailing, the consumer is able to fully appreciate the beautiful craftsmanship of the end product (see fig 3). Eliane Glaser said in her lecture that we live in an age of false authenticity, but we have a very strong desire for things to be real, not fake. I would have to agreed with her that we desire things that are more handmade and organic now but as everything ties into money and profits, not everyone who desires this can afford to make those kinds of choices of living, in the end, capitalism determines the way we live.

            As a product designer, we now have to consider more attention towards designing ethically and sustainable because of capitalism. Every stage of design contributes to bettering or worsening our world. The product outcome might fit the need of the consumer at present, but what about from the method of manufacture to the landfills it will eventually end up in? Companies like Coca-Cola are one example that demonstrates the negative impacts of the capitalist structure. They produce fizzy drinks that contain ingredients that are addictive, artificial and bad for our health. Yet when they noticed that people are starting to concern more about their health and turn to hydration naturally, they also went into the bottled water industry. The released a bottled water brand called Dasani which turned out to be filtered tap water, something that is so basic and free n our part of the world, yet they deceiving us that it was natural spring water. They saw profit of our decision to drink water instead of fizzy drinks and decided to just rebrand and package water. Because Coca-Cola is such a corporate giant in our world, they would buy out smaller companies such as Fiji water, which is spring water from the island of Fiji, to market it as a premium product for the western market. Now I don’t think there is anything wrong with buying out companies to make them success even more, as a product design, I also would hope that I design a product that would be successful enough to be promoted on a global scale. But is Coca-Cola considering its carbon footprints in this process? Fiji is roughly 16,000 kilometers from the UK, is it ethically right for us to waste our earths precious fossil fuels to import something as widely available as water just because it has a unique selling point of being from Fiji? As far as capitalism is concerned, it makes good profit so why should they stop? See I think capitalism can be argued as ethically neutral because it depends on human perception. But as our perceptions are distorted and manipulated to thinking it is ok to buy this water by these corporate giants, how can we become more economically responsible if the mass powers are so consumer in making profits? It not only effects our environment but our health too. The increase of consumption of bottled water means more PET plastic bottle factories are made. These factories pump out toxic fumes and gases into the air, and this has affected health of the locals that live around these factories. And even our health by drinking from these plastic bottle, water contained in a PET plastic bottle can leach chemicals such as as arsenic and antimony.

Antimony is a white metallic element that in small doses can cause nausea, dizziness and depression. In large doses, it can be fatal..."Antimony is similar chemically to lead. It is also a potentially toxic trace element," said Shotyk…"If you bottle water in Europe and ship it to Asia, what is the antimony concentration in that water by the time somebody buys that water and drinks it?"(William S, 2006. http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2006/12/21/bottle-study.html)

I think these issues should not be neglected, where these corporate giants are making billions of pounds, they are reducing people’s quality of life and damaging the environment we are living in.
Fortunately these issues can still be a driving force for us as designers to innovate better and more sustainable materials. The inventions of bio plastics made from renewable sources such as cornstarch, potato peel and chicken feathers are being adopted now into our food packaging and daily products as a result of the increase of toxic waste. It is no mystery that ethically aware design creates a closer connection between consumers and the brands because if they are socially and ethically responsible, it builds trust and loyalty. I think being ethically responsible as a designer is especially important now as we try to fix the damages capitalism has pushed us in ethically and financially.

         Overall I think that capitalism has influenced innovation to become more and more slower but has increased our consumption of newer product. Products are designed with a shorter lifespan so that they can be replaced more often. As mentioned by James Woudhuysen, we aren’t inventing the sort of life changing products like we used to in the 1900’s i.e. refrigerators, trains and elevators (Woudhuysen, 2012), how has design been reduced to focus on such minor improvements in innovations instead of advancing like we used to?. Capitalism has grown so much faster in the past 20 years that the cracks are starting to show in the system because we can’t keep up with its demand. If capitalisms main motivation is competition, things like using up all the earths natural resources and threatening the health of mankind are just going to become bigger. Our ability to innovate has not been stumped by capitalism however we have gotten so caught up by power, money and … our quality of life is impacted more negatively. Capitalism places value upon our ideas but neglects our environment at large.

         Matthew Tailors suggestion that in order to make big changes happen, the three main sources of power (individualism, solidarity, hierarchical authority) would have to be vibrant and in play. When they share a goal and we have a national unity, we can gain the biggest social advances. He calls this ‘a plural imagination’. I think that although it seems very unrealistic at present for something like that to happen and actually work, it is a reasonable solution to help us face the global issues at present. If we collaborate the brains and the hands of our world and work closer together, I believe greater innovations can emerge.
         I have found this project very interesting, challenging and overwhelming. I have learnt a great deal and it has definitely made me look at the bigger picture in everything that I do now. In term of my design practice, I no longer see my position in the world as very small contribution to the future, but of one that can really make changes happen for the global and mankind.

2013.. Hi again...

Yo! it's been awhile.... What have i been doinggg all this time?!!! Well... as you can see.. not getting a haircut for one!! I went from hippy hair to just a plain vagabond now...there has to be something done to this hot mess but i'm soooo lazy to go to the hair salon!!! >_< The last time i cut it was january 2012!!! one yr one month ago! someone slap me plz...

Anyhow... hows life? There really hasn't been anything new with me really... oh wait, i turned 25 on 16 january couple of weeks ago... That was a depressing day lol... especially thanks to the people reminding me i'm quarter of a century year old now! :'(

Ermm...my life has 2 focuses... my studies and my God... I have been unbelievably blessed since last year.. according to my chinese zodiac and being double rabbit and dragon...i was suppose to have 2 years of terrible luck... but dispite the challenges i had to face at the beginning of 2012, everything did get better..i was more myself..i settled into who i manifested into...and i like her... i was rejected from a place on my course now and prayed so hard and his miracles changed the deans mind about me and he funded my place...how blessed am i to have met some amazing people since october when i started my studies...and of my first term... i even got an A on my first design project and a B on my first essay... these things just don't happen to me...at ever step of the way...i prayed for help when i struggled...he never left my side...never...even when i did, his arms were wide open...man... That is what real love is... :)

It was vision sunday today at church...they handed out to everyone this bracelet which means in latin " The mission of God" they played an inspirational film made of real peoples lives and struggles in real worlds in new york, london, kiev and melborne... and really...it was so nice...made me remember my purpose again...to be the hands and feet of Christ and love others as he loved me...

So basically... i am working on a project right now that is super challenging but also..because i was called to do this..i know i can do my best in his name... lets have some faith snow!! :p

oh and i know i have new readers now so hi and i hope that in whatever you take away from my words...that can help you just a tiny bit... i'd have done what i was called to do through it.. help you ;)

i'll keep updated!

Love Snow xxx

Teaching Nishy how to blog!

My student Rock lee Nishy and me as his teacher Guy sensei! :D

Hey everyone!! So i'm at a cafe with my friend NISHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!! :D and he has asked for a favour to teach him how to blog... He said that he has a lot of things to share with the world and reckons blogging is a good platform to begin with!! I ( of course) agree because thats how i started! :D so without further all do.. this is the first example to show him! I not only teach this guy how to blog, i am very wise haha! I teach him how to read the signs of flirting (men and women!), how to get out of an arranged marriage and what food is the most tastiest in the world!
:D Great teacher i know! :p lol!

the art of asking powerful questions

“If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on the solution, I would spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I know the proper ques- tion, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.” —ALBERTEINSTEIN

Forgiveness

Have you ever not wanted to forgive someone because you judge them for what they have done or have done to you? I'm pretty sure many of us have been down that road before where to forgive is just too difficult because we just can't let it go... But hear me out, lemme let you in on this... 

those who are forgive much, love much... those who are forgiven little..love little...

What does that mean exactly... well its new to me too actually! Last sunday, i learnt the meaning of just that!! Picture this..

A guy owed £500 to a merchant. Another guy owed £5 to him. both were in a position where they cannot afford to pay him back. So the kind merchant cancelled the debt they owed,cleaning the slate for them. Now... who do you think was more grateful for this act of kindness? yeah.. it would probably be the guy with the bigger debt of £500 right...You understanding me yet..?? no?? :p listen... 

People who do us wrong... sometimes we think they don't deserve our forgiveness... they just don't deserve to feel relieved of that grudge we hold against them... maybe they hurt you bad..maybe they wronged someone you know... for what ever the reason... because their debt to you is greater than of someone whos done less...if you forgave them, their gratefulness is greater..their love will flourish...

 To forgive someone is a gift, it can really stir a person inside, it not only gives them rest, but also..it gives you rest...holding a grudge isn't easy right? i know that one for sure!!!!!

I think the reason why i'm writing this post today is because i've been reflecting upon my past and how there are still a couple of people that i have not yet forgiven for the wrongs they did to me... i firgured this much.. 'he/she wouldn't learn from his/her mistakes if i forgave them' they can only know the greatness of my hurt if they never recieve my forgiveness...how do you forgive when your heart isn't quite there yet.??.. 

Now its been a long time since these wrongs guys..and i don't even think much of it now... but i am aware..that my grudge still haunts them..its still is uncomfortable to live with.. and i think i've been thinking about it in the wrong way... Those with greater debts of wrong..learns from and has a higher sense of gratitude than those who did little to wrong me and gets forgiven...

Its easy to forgive someone of a white lie, but harder to forgive someone whos lied for a year about everything right??...but out of the two who seek forgiveness...the one who hurt you the most would recieve the greatest amount of gratitude and lesson from their mistakes...

It really twisted the way i think when i learnt this...still tryna get my head around it to be honest!! I'm putting it out there..maybe it wil stir you to forgive someone whos hurt you today...

Happy Mondays 

Love Snow x

University

it's about 2 weeks exactly that I'm studying at uni and yep I've kept it on the D low because I wasn't sure I'd successfully get in.. not that anyone is as happy as I am but I got in to a pretty prestigious institution and I'm so thankful to God for answering my prayers one after another!! :)

So what's it like being in 'school' again? probably the most awesome feeling ever!! uno I've studied most of my life.. and most of it was never for me..like I probably picked subjects I was good at but did I really wanna do it? being Asian, I did it for my parents, I felt like I owed them a good life and was purely motivated to please them with my A*'s and distinctions..but there was no satisfaction in the end...I mean I think I was brought up pretty well but honestly, I say 'screw to that way of thinking!' I don't know, I realized that after getting those top grades, I'd get put down for other things I wasn't good at I.e languages-I dropped out of Chinese school age 16 because never using the language and having to memorize the characters and do my GCSEs was too much for my slow brain to process!! I'm not saying if u live to serve your parents, that's a bad thing, but in my opinion, doing studies for your own ambition to further bigger and more global ambitions is probably more sustainable that the desperate hope of love and recognition from your folks!!

I see it this way... I've been pretty good and skilled in a lot of things I have learnt and experienced...however I think I'm pretty good at design and I haven't utilised my skills in this area to the potential it can grow...I had to step out of the continuous patterns in my life to really know what I want to do...so here I am! late night's at the library, not eating because I'm too busy, coffees after coffees and just that much more busier than usual! I have to say, first 2weeks have been pretty intensive! like I wanna do the activities n fun stuff but I've had no time! I've met some pretty awesome people tho..they make me laughhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! lol! so wish me luck.. let the good times roll..I'll keep y'all posted!
love snow x

yea the app sucks!!! can't reposition and align writing and rotate photos!! so basic yet it cant be done!! so i'll just try to blog the way i used to :)

Testing my Samsung blogging app!

Hey beautiful peoples! I'm gonna test my galaxy s3 n see if blogging is comfortable on this phone..

Check out the front camera (pic of me) and the back camera (flower)

Hello Hello!!

Hey guys and dollies!! it is very weird that i am back on my blog because i there are many times when i have started to write and then i delete the whole thing time and time again... i just don't like writing about myself... like... how did i even become like this? i love writingggg and in writing is where i express myself the best in!! I dunoo.... Its very weird!! But honestly..I'm back because i remember that the blog used to be about me... it then became a way you my readers to get inspired and get something out of it?? That i was no longer writing to remember events in mylife but it turned into a ' i learn as you learn sorta thing' lets see... this is the 2nd chapter of a girl named snow... :) watch this space :) 

If i had my life to live over...

"Of course, you can’t unfry an egg, but there is no law against thinking about it..

If I had my life to live over, I would try to make more mistakes.
I would relax. I know of very few things that I would take seriously.
I would go more places. I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers.
I would eat more ice cream and less bran.
I would have more actual troubles and fewer imaginary troubles.
You see, I have been one of those fellows who live prudently and sanely, hour after hour, day after day.
Oh, I have had my moments. But if I had it to do over again, I would have more of them – a lot more.
I never go anywhere without a thermometer, a gargle, a raincoat and a parachute.
If I had it to do over, I would travel lighter.
If I had my life to live over, I would pay less attention to people telling us we must learn Latin or History; otherwise we will be disgraced and ruined and flunked and failed.
I would seek out more teachers who inspire relaxation and fun.
If I had my life to live over, I would start barefooted a little earlier in the spring and stay that way a little later in the fall.
I would shoot more paper wads at my teachers.
I would keep later hours.
I’d have more sweethearts.
I would go to more circuses.
I would be carefree as long as I could, or at least until I got some care- instead of having my cares in advance.

I doubt, however, that I’ll do much damage with my creed.
The opposition is too strong.
There are too many serious people trying to get everybody else to be too darned serious.."

Paulo Coelho

He's one of my most loved writers.. because he writes so beautifully elegant...Get inspired and follow his blog http://www.paulocoelhoblog.com/

Rhythms of grace

your voice calls the stars by their name.. and you whispered them all to their place...to testify of your wonder and grace..both now and forever...

Unexpected Photoshoot!

Hey guys and dolliez, been awhle since i've done a new feed sorta post so here goes..

I've been so busy lately..just had a million things to sort out and take on, by the time i get home, im out like a baby! Hardly had a social life i'm tellin u, if im not working, im at church, if im not a doing either im training, sorting out design work n courses, chill time is makin time for my friends or guilty pleasure nerdy stuff like watchin anime n reading mangas n drawing! I'm also constantly on a budget (i make the same money a student makes because i get taxed so much its ridiculous!) so yea...boring right? lol.. i don't really care, im not bored of being boring, i like it when people at work think ima loser!!lol! :D

ANYWAYZ this loser (me!) got sent on a mission from work to help out another club whiles i was on shift, following orders, i went, thinking i was gonna go to help do work that i know... ermmm no... it was a photoshoot for an ad or something!! O_o i was like 'u gotta be kidding me right?!' i sooo didn't wanna take part, but it was a group photo thng so it didnt seem too bad.i was like an extra or something- anyways, i did it thinking i could hide at the back so noone can see my face but they sent me to the front because of the stupid fluorecent orange top they made me wear!! all pride gone...epic embarassment n stitch up i thought (cringe if i ever see myself on some wall or ad) >_< I did however get paid CASH for selling my rights to the images of myself..and it was quite alot so it weren't all that bad because i didn't expect it! :) i dont even wanna tell u guys what ad it was so that u never find it  and point and laugh lol! why do u think i don't do youtube videos?!! because im confident i'd look like an idiot lol!! :D

Ugly personality!

This literally happened yesterday and i just wanted to vent writing it out, maybe some of you experienced something simular??

A friend i've known for about 3 months now confessed that he had a crush on me but would have never acted on it because my friendship was more valuable... I was pretty shocked because he has a gf for yearsss and this all of sudden made me feel like backing off because i dont wanna be someones temptation or the cause of relationships ending... does that make me sound arrogant?? like do u get the impression that i think i could if i wanted to by me saying that?? because i honestly don't, i just take precautions to protect peoples feelings... So my reply was precisely something like that...that i can try to not feel weird about him and squash it like it didn't even happen and that i saw him as a brother...and i got the most ugliest personality out of his reply to that!! I made the guy feel rejected somehow, he was saying 'if i wanted ANYTHING to happen i wouldn't have told u about my gf' or the fact that he was fond of me! saying IF he was EVER single, he'd like to think he could date me! O_o eww its like i never seen someone defend themselves from telling me they like me...how are you gonna feel rejected just because i dont feel the same, dude you have a gf- aren't you proving that you did want me to feel something more than friendship??! and to top it off, i got one msg after another like it was angry n pissed off.. i got this message after i'd apologise for wording it wrong, i used a phase he taught me P**** Beggar (PB) but i only used in a jokey way, no need to go so harsh with the caps and all, all i wanted to say was i wasn't ok with knowing this information, i'll try not to act weird, i'll just pray for u and ur gf more? thats literally what i said.. i got a reply of ' and i would have you know that if i was a P.B!! i would be an amazing P.B to have around because im not that bad looking. YOU would be lucky!' O_O like wow that was ugly... that was arrogance to the max... needless to say, i have decided to cut that friend outta my life... i am sure he said it outta anger or it was to protect his pride...but i no longer want to be friends with someone who has shown his true colours of ugliness inside!! I believe if you hang out with the wrong friends, they can lead you on the wrong paths in life... 

I don't think i'm more beautiful than alota girls... In fact, i've always thought the opposite...low self esteem or whatever you wanna call it, i'm just learning to accept compliments because it used to make people upset when i didn't accept them... I just believe you should be grateful and humble in your life and gifts you have been blessed with...looks, money, job, family, partners, friendships-learn you be grateful for them all...even if some do end and change, at least it happened right? :)

wow i feel so much better, i forgot how blogging was like therapy to me!!

Scarf braid hair

I got alot of compliments about how i did my hair in the last couple of days so i thought i'd share how i did it because it was soooooo simple yet everyone kept asking how i did it! I'm really NOT a trend setter guys, i just wear whatever i feel comfortable in.. you just get a silk scarf ( i have loads of them because i just love collecting printed scarves whenever i see a beautiful one, i buy them from different countries to topshop and market stalls!)  knot it on to your hair and then just braid it into your hair as you would a normal braid! secure with a hairband and ur good to go! sound like really retarded instructions right? because it was that easy!

My hair has gotten really long so its easy to do if you have alot of length to work with..but if you don't, wrap it like a alice band first and then braid it in so the scarf has shorter ends! I sound like one of those youtube beauty gurus don't i? lol!! An easy hairdo thats acceptably 'hippy' in spring/summer! :p Hope this was useful dolliez! ( sorry for the poor quality pictures, my mac webcam has had its hey dayz and is ageing gracefully :p ) xxx