Having traveled and lived in countries representative of truly diverse ideological, political, economic, social, geographic and otherwise distinctive settings, the issuing realities are dawning on me, and in the reflective process also are becoming uncomfortably clear to me.

The current dominant powers will continue to battle in the lands distant from their own, investing in or supporting those lesser players whom they judge as willing to subjugate to their national interests, or simply perceived as the lesser of the available evils. Except, everything is changing and fluctuating, both in these distant nations, and the corporate dynamics which dictate the major powers’ national interests, investments and strategic engagements. And so one day we support and finance a tyrant who the very next day may, for a multitude of reasons, becomes uncomfortable and therefore detrimental to “our” shifting whimsies. Thus “we” cause downfall of the old such in favor of the more beneficial, even if only temporarily, new. It is a power game played by the invisible, to most, powers and interests ordaining their governments, these in turn dictate to us, pulling the almost invisible strings attached to our lives, sending in  the name of patriotism young people to fight and die for their interests and benefits, tips of which we can only decipher, while most remains hidden under the deeply dark, mysterious and perilous, always fluid a surface.

This much delayed episode comes to you all the way from China, where I am now, invited here as a Professor & KoGuan Chair of Digital Arts & Design @ Peking University, known as the highest rated academic learning institution of China. Given many tunings I find myself undergoing as a result of this uproot, I trust that those who read my blog, and mostly those who miss it, will forgive the resulting delay. I am certain that such has been even tougher on me than on those back in their familiar settings. And now to the theme of this blog.

History has proven that humans are aggressive, domineering creatures who find it not just challenging but rather impossible to live in a lasting, peaceful and fulfilling coexistence. Our narrative vividly illustrate how every 30 years, more or less, the various political or religious factions or nations or other forms of social collectives, casts, diverse or competing interests, or corporations or conglomerates, end up engaging in hostile discourses, even subversive and adverse takeovers or traditional wars, whether military or not, with either their oppositions or competitor or neighbor or minor countries under adversary's sway.

 

I departed for Israel with great hopes and anticipation, and most of all in search of some enlightenment or even resolution to my inner dilemma. On one hand, watching the news from afar, as a Jew who has gone through own prosecution, I feel torn to see other Jews seemingly disrespectful of the rights of the others. I am not a believer in “do on to others what has been done to you”. As history has repeatedly illustrated, such an approach and way of thinking lead to a dead end, often literarily. And yes, as a Jew, I feel powerful commonality to other Jews, to our ancient culture, traditions, amazing heritage and history. And so, hearing of the wrong done by Israelis, even if under the claims for its own right of survival, I feel torn. I question my obligations to the Jewish people and to Israel as our tiny country.

 

There is a bright side. The West Bank is evolving, Ramallah is booming economically. Unexpectedly, in a middle of the West Bank a new development named Rawabi is sprouting in the mountainous land, out from the sand. This newest undertaking, clearly with some, even if only a silent approval of Israel, is special not only because it is design to bring a sense of stability, hope and prosperity to the Palestinians but also because of the green approach utilized in its current construction. Thus, as the mountains are being torn to make room for the city, the material excavated from them is recycled into the building blocks from which the structures are erected. Nothing, so it was explained to me, is being lost in the process by which one organic matter of the long past is being inverted into another, one of the future.

 

To join all of the walls of the past, a yet another, vast and enormously tall wall, has recently been constructed by Israel to protect itself against terrorist attacks and suicidal bombers. It separates the West Bank from Israel. Israelis say that it has achieved its objectives by dramatically decreasing the intensive of terrorist attacks. At the same time though, the wall's path has also divided certain neighborhoods, people and families who had lived together till its erection. While there are military check points through which people can cross from one side to another, officially the Israeli citizens, especially the Jewish ones, are not permitted to the West Bank, this is supposedly to protect them, for their own personal safety.

While it separates the people and sides, in the most odd of ways it also acts as a form of a dialogue, a conduit of emotions and wishes expressed by those leaving on one side of the wall, but unfortunately not see by those on the other side. When you think about it, at least to me, this Wall has become an unintended symbol of human lunacy and desires.

 

Maybe because the country’s founders had lost so much during the Holocaust, they chose to fight so hard for their new country, build by them from zilch. Over time and endless conflicts, wars and over numerous generations, they succeeded establishing a nation of a booming economy, impressive technologies, research, innovation, culture, prosperity, military potency, freedom of speech and, some say, a true democracy, most of anything and everything any country could hope for. All this except of course for the precious peace, stability and safe future for its current as well as the future generations.

 

Jerusalem, this is a land that has inspired legends, myths and mysticism which have not just impelled the course and evolution of our humanity, its religious beliefs, cultures and politics but also, throughout our history, been the source of endless dreams, desires, conflicts and conquests. The issuing reflections are probably the most complex of all of those I have written until now, difficult and troublesome for me to reflect upon and even more so verbalize. Nonetheless, I feel a deep need to face a challenge of distilling and then sharing my personal thoughts and observations on this perplexing topics. At the same time I am well aware of the displeasure and anger, even wrath of those readers who, for their own personal reasons, will differ, disagree, be infuriated by or dismissive of my ideas, opinions, perspectives and analyses I am about to express. But intellectual discourse is not just healthy and crucial but moreover vital to our evolution as human and social beings designed to coexist with each other.

I have just returned from a trip to Netherlands, the land of tulips and windmills.  The first one representing an outgrowth of our humanity’s adoration for beauty of nature, and our ingenuity in refining it to the outmost perfection. The second, a product of design projecting humanity’s pragmatic inventiveness when faced with a need for a solution and solving it through design thinking, this at the core of my mission there. 

Should current technologies motivate and dictate new innovative designs or can concept designs inspire novel technologies? Which one is better, wiser, more advantageous in a long run? But is the choice black and white or could students be offered some, or the best of both worlds of occasions? Should educational systems, most of which are motivated by the need to differentiate themselves, this in order to compete with other similar in objectives schools, be also willing and capable of electing the more comprehensive and more globalized, Renaissance like approach and philosophy towards their education?

We have been, and so have the technologies we invent, evolving with an accelerated speed. Currently we are, as it should be, at the stage of development that is the most advanced thus far. Technology is a true “magic wand”. It makes us more powerful then ever. This is likely the most exciting time to be a creative individual or an artist, or a designer, or even an engineer or technologist or inventor. Borders between all disciplines are dissolving before our eyes. Interdisciplinary fusion is lighting up the path to exciting future.

We, the so-called “advanced”, “civilized” world, have become empowered by amazing means of instant communication. Such make vital and enlightening information available to most of the world’s population. This power could, if we only chose to, embody a great weapon against tyranny, oppression and malicious censorship infecting and pervading our societies, eroding our basic freedoms without most of us even being aware of it.

Such instant communication can also act as a mighty generator of ideas, health fuel for brainstorming, a limitless platform for collaboration, exchanges and propagation of global connectivity, thus seeding mutual understanding and respect for those whom we would otherwise never connect with, instead left ignorant, unable to understand or appreciate.

And so it seems that humanity is loosing appreciation and benefits of simple and pure nothingness, of silence and calm, which come with not being under pressure to talk, to respond, to converse, react, but instead to think and feel, digest and reflect. Why?

Take a look at the astonishing developments, architectural, cultural, entertainment or city planning initiatives arising in China, under the very political and ideological system our “New World” had branded as the red peril (or whatever the lexis was), the foe of the “free” world (just in case you are confused, or do not know, that’s us), the Communism we had fought against for decades. And look now? Where would our “New World” be without their newly found affluence? Watch their booming economy, ambitious expansionism and clear aspirations for the very role we have played until now, the leadership and dominance of the world, the “Old” and the “New”.

However tempting, I shall refrain from spiraling into politics. This is not the topic of this blog. Nor am I endorsing communism. I have tasted its grip while growing up back in Eastern Europe, the “Old World”. I had my share, thank you. This reflection is devoted to the spirit of imagination, innovation, ideation and invention, and for the focus of this particular blog: how these precious values are reflected through the architectural realizations of the country called the “New World”. In my humble perception, something has gotten lost in translation. Are we slipping, losing it?