Words in freedom: A manifesto machine as critical design

Abstract

Words in Freedom is a design project aimed at artists, activists, and others that draws from research on the manifesto to create a studio environment or ‘Manifesto Machine’. Drawing primarily on the sub-disciplines of Design for Good and Critical Design, this project seeks to enhance conscious self-expression and empowerment while questioning design’s inbuilt optimism and the effects of automation on human agency. When we automate for improved performance, what do we lose in the process? Do the benefits outweigh the loss of agency? How can technology aid expression without over determining it? Ultimately, Words in Freedom seeks to create a collaborative writing environment that strikes the right balance between freedom and constraint, agency and inspiration. We trace the manifesto’s return to prominence in digital form, arguing for its usefulness as a potent discursive artifact. We then describe the Manifesto Machine as a set of tools to help write and disseminate persuasive manifestos, introducing our initial prototype (or probe, as in Reflective Design) as a means of conducting our primary research, engaging with groups and understanding social practices around declaring principles and beliefs.