Excellent and thoughtful article. Makes me wonder if some of the recent advances in AI tools (text-to-image generators, etc) can be adopted in the practice of speculative design? I, for one, would like to see more AI-generated images instead of boring Post-It-Notes used in design sprints.

This post has a simple yet spot-on message "start more stuff" echoing Marc Andreessen's 2020 essay "It's Time to Build". If we shift to framing entrepreneurship in terms of building and creating "stuff" rather than the more narrow view of the ins-and-outs of starting a business venture, it could do wonders to re-ignite the "lack of grassroots dynamism" noted by Edmund Phelps in his wonderful book "Mass Flourishing".

Really enjoying reading your posts on these topics. Been thinking a lot on the topics you cover: community-building (weaving), network effects, co-creation, designing for participation and contribution, etc. Interestingly, there are many parallels in community weaving with the practices adopted in successful open source software projects.

Your post reminded me of the wonderful "Crochet Coral Reef" initiative and the power of artist-led futures. From what I have learned of this imaginative community-based (worldwide) art project it seems to serve as a moral and compassionate response to climate change. For reference, check out: https://crochetcoralreef.org/about/theproject/

Excellent article ... as a society we have forgotten how the bottom layer of the pyramid is the bedrock underlying systems change. As Gregory Bateson once said: "Yes, metaphor. That's how the whole fabric of mental interconnections holds together. Metaphor is right at the bottom of being alive."

Beautifully said. Thank you for sharing your perspectives and including many useful external links for further reading. Your post re-affirms (at least for me) the need for people who will have the courage to step up and catalyze change in their communities. These "civic innovators" need not have positions of power or formal titles but through their background efforts, commitment and sacrifice create the conditions that enable community flourishing.

Your question led me to associate an interesting phenomemon referred to as the "Overview Effect". Worth a read is Ethan Siegel's recent article where he describes the “overview effect”, experienced by astronauts when they view the Earth from outer space, irrevocably changes your perspective as a human. https://medium.com/starts-with-a-bang/william-shatner-cried-upon-returning-from-space-the-overview-effect-explains-why-1f3415a51815