Building Our Own Future – Literally

Tony Cartalucci, Contributor
Activist Post

Welcome to Open Source Ecology and their “Global Village Construction Set.” Unlike many uses of the term “global,” the concept behind OSE is not a centralized solution, but rather the leveraging of open source hardware on a localized level to achieve a “greater distribution of the means of production,” with tools that would “last a lifetime, not designed for obsolescence.” Below is the 2011 TED talk given by OSE founder and director, Marcin Jakubowski, who set out to prove that “industrial productivity can be achieved on a small scale,” through the use of simple, DIY-built tools ranging from brick presses to tractors and beyond.

Jakubowski hopes to “unleash massive amounts of human potential,” through empowering people directly with the knowledge and tools necessary for they themselves to build the world they choose to live in, not merely pulling levers in a polling booth for corrupt politicians to decide for them under the guise of “democracy.”

The OSE project has continued to grow since the 2011 TED talk. It is not only OSE that people should study and raise awareness for – but the concept that drives OSE – namely open source hardware, and the profound implications it has for empowering individuals and communities. 

Image: Typical political solutions have lofty mission statements, vague goals, and what seem to be perpetually postponed payoffs. The Open Source Ecology’s “Global Village Construction Set” has real hardware they have designed, built, tested, and now share with the world for free – in what is part of a burgeoning open source hardware movement. 

Accelerating this paradigm shift requires simply putting down our political crusades and picking up pragmatic solutions instead. The key to improving our socioeconomic prospects lies not in electing representatives to carry out vague political agendas, but through physical production, moving dirt, cutting metal, and harnessing electrons.

OSE has a website, a Wiki with information on a growing number of open source designs and potential concepts, as well as a 300 page .pdf book containing all the information on the prototypes already built and in use by OSE members. Get involved, even if in the smallest way, and collectively our small steps – individually – will make for giant strides together.

Tony Cartalucci’s articles have appeared on many alternative media websites, including his own at Land Destroyer Report, Alternative Thai News Network and LocalOrg. Read other contributed articles by Tony Cartalucci here.