Demotech
Hi, Welcome to Demotech, design for self reliance! Demotech is an
organization based in Maastricht, in The Netherlands which tests and
promotes a unique approach to sustainability, development, and daily
living around the globe. This section of the website will introduce
you to Demotech, its initiatives, ideas, members, and ambitions. Please follow the links to specific pages and documents. Below you
will find a general introduction to Demotech thinking, theory and
practice. Demotech: an introduction
Dear
Reader, I wish you, reader of this story, a long and happy life.
Your life, the way you live it and what it means to you and the people
around you is what our research centers on. We want to get more
out of life: fun, meaning, friendship and ... comfort. That is why we
work, for ourselves, and for you. What we produce is for
ourselves as for you free for the taking.
Re-design is our job.
Re-designing concepts, tools, methods, ideas to make them accessible
and affordable to everybody in the world. By re-designing the way we
live, Demotech works to improve our lives with techniques and tricks
aimed at a single over arching goal: More Joy Per Person.
What
bothers us most is that successfully participating in a rich society
creates little joy for its participants. Notwithstanding the immense
use as well as destruction of resources. Notwithstanding the cheap
labor of poor people that is abundantly made use of.
What
amazes us most is joy and merriness that we observe in the streets of
poor countries, where people live with a hundred fold lower income. As
a research organization Demotech want to explore the reason for the
lack of fun when being rich and the presence of joy when being poor.
According all economic know-how it should be the other way round, but
this is clearly not the case.
The results of this research is
documented in this web page. Working with students and professionals,
with people in poor and rich countries, Demotech combines theoretical
research and practical applications to uncover a new technology guided
by our own values. However, 'Democracy Supporting Technology' has a lot
to accomplish before it deserves that name. Being aware of the
shortcomings of contemporary technology is good for a start. Getting
results asks for more. It asks for the highest targets, the smartest
innovation, endless debugging and deep awareness during practical
testing and actual use. As time has taught us some of the tricks, we
are overwhelmed by the rich potential of our approach. Therefore this
website is a call for participation!
We ask you, dear reader,
to take the time to read this website and add your own critical
thinking to our ongoing action.
All Yours,
The Demotech
Team
Related Publications Technology for Ten Billion People
The basics of Demotech Design Initiatives
Entrepeneurship after 9/11
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