Facebook, and the Destruction of Social Interaction.

I am a 22 year old, Trinidadian Industrial Design student at the SCAD, University for creative careers. About a year and some months ago I was introduced to Interaction design (IxD). I fell in love with it and quickly made it my minor. I began researching and writing intensively about my thoughts and ideas. As an upperclassman, I started preparing myself to leave. The big question was... leave with what? I currently run my own design business "aMorle Designs" and I am the co-founder of "SML Clothing" a joint collaboration with SISTM Mental Wear (Nicholas La Touche). My best friend Dan and I are in the process of creating his graphic novel... Verdacomb. He is a senior here at SCAD so he is working on his final animations for the graphic novel. I will be working on backgrounds and helping him with some concept work when he needs it. He is a hard worker and its coming out pretty sweet >>> check it out here @ DA Dan Berry's Portfolio Hopefully by the time he graduates we would start a creative venture of some sort. I choose not to give any details on that aspect because its a big deal for us. The idea is basically fusing all our companies into one collaborative energy strain. A conglomerate.

I always knew I was different, I knew this because I was observant. I believe that's what brought me to design. Observation, ubiquitous fascination with my surroundings, interaction with fellow man and studying/understanding culture. At SCAD I was immersed in an environment with creatives, just like myself. It provided an atmosphere that solidified my purpose.

As a designer it is my mission to revive the world of its faults, problems and mishaps. We are the architects of the new world. Currently we live in a world that is very destructive. It has reached a point where I have heard mention of mass genocide for balance of mankind, reoccur in conversation! These were conversations with intellects, men who thought. Although my views may have been different I was relative to their point. However we have destroyed enough... There is no point in eradicating the populous for it to be repopulated. We have to deal with the situation at hand.

If you have been living under a rock or on some desolate mountain top you are probably not aware of the global economic crisis. This is a problem, a problem that stems from greed and control. Mankind is no longer free. What makes matters even worse is what these "passions" have done to the human genome... We have become violent, selfish, individualistic and to a point, unapproachable. We live in a society where education is not encouraged. Hence the masses are ignorant. The Greeks believed that man was a slave if he was not educated, he was not considered free, incarcerated by the little that he knew. It took a while for the world to accept the earth was round. The issue of race has been discovered a years now, however we still try to categorize... even though there is only ONE race... the Human race. A race of species that are differentiated through ethnic variation. People somehow try to prove that we are different. This is because of ignorance.

Ignorance has made it possible for us to display our entire life for the world to see. Ignorance is what makes people feel comfortable with being ignored in conversation. Ignorance is what led us to powder up our profiles so we could have more ignorant friends we don't even talk to. Ignorance keeps us addicted... it feeds us... keeps us up at early hours of the morning. Ignorance distracts us from tasks at hand. IGNORANCE has trapped us in a virtual world neglecting the real world. The point I brought up earlier about mass genocide... This is essentially the same. A genocide of human consciousness.

In the year 2011. In this overpopulated planet, with our resources reaching the fringe. There is an epidemic that is far greater than anything... Its almost like a plague. We are losing our ability to interact. We no longer value experience in the real world. Appreciation has leveled itself down to a "like button" on the bottom right hand side of a picture, text or video. Why do you like this? Who know, who cares. When I tell people my best friend and I deleted facebook, the first reaction I get would probably have to be a gasp. Followed by a series of questions such as... "So how do I contact you?" or "How can I keep up with your designs?" I simply reply... "Exactly the same way you used to do it before facebook...email, text or how about a call so I can hear your voice and interpret your feelings better. You want to keep up to date with my status... There is twitter... You want to see my artwork, there is Deviant ART.

Facebook is like a cellphone with too many apps that has poor reception. In essence the primary function of the phone is clouded with useless peripherals. Facebook has always been a tool. And should be treated like one. I have realized that other sites have a purpose just as great or even better and more fulfilling than Facebook. Take twitter for example... Yes you can post a mindless random status however... I keep myself updated by following the news, thinkers, designers and creatives. Its also not something I can see myself getting addicted to... why? because it does one thing...relate your status. Now lets look at the interaction design of deviant art when you "favourite" (equivalent to the like button) something you are prompted to post a comment. That allows the user to explain why he/she liked the artwork, give feedback, relate or appreciate that piece. This is how virtual communication should be. as close to reality as possible. Things that actually affect you in the real world. Imagine an app or site connected to a pipe stream over your garden. Where you can water your plants at home from the office. Keep tabs on your orchids. Never have to worry about them drying up when you travel.

Please don't get me wrong. I am not telling you to delete your account... That's up to you. I find it amusing that people blatantly subject themselves to disclosing all their information. That information is being used, traded and monitored. If you pay close attention to your emails, ad banners and icons you slowly begin to realize that they all relate to you. You are a design student. You are going to see design ads... You live in Savannah you are going to get spam titled Hot Savannah Singles!!! You just got engaged...wedding ads from "House of brides" appear... No one really takes this into consideration, but this is a clear indication that you are always being watched. So go out and live life, read a book, travel, meet new friends and most importantly... THINK!

- Alix Morle

Only the strong survive... A quote we hear in times of war or in war related media. What we need to realize as humans is the importance of strength, by being strong it inspires the weak as well as making survival seem easy, almost ritualistic. The older I became the less things began to bother me... physically and mentally. I would walk miles in the sweltering sun on my way from school and like the added weight on my back. I felt myself becoming stronger every step I took. This love for struggle is a genetic transition from my mother, she struggled while raising me and has seemed to be masochistically attracted to it in someway. A life like that would be indeed rewarding but you have no time to dig deep within yourself... you become a machine. As humans we should understand that we are machines but like a computer you need to update, upgrade and maintain it to be successful with the progressive attitude towards technology we have seemed to adopt since the late 50's. The mind and body needs to be stimulated rigorously on a daily basis. You must strive to learn something new everyday and push yourself physically everyday. Control your body, understand how it works first and try to be conscious of your surroundings. People put negative connotations to herbal enlightenment, there is nothing wrong with heightening your experience every now and then. If taken in moderation it can have positive outcomes but abuse by consuming copious amounts of any stimulant can excite the synapses causing confusion and in some cases paranoia. Back to the relation of the brain and a computer... When any storage media becomes full it needs to be cleaned, "useless" items need to be thrown away. I have realized through meditation and settling my mind i have found it easier to achieve tasks. It prepares me. It gives me an initiative and also affirms my purpose. Its the connection of the ubiquitous energy that is contained in our atmosphere. Everything vibrates... atoms move in spastic motions binding matter forming shape. Last weekend I had my first show in Savannah with four carefully chosen, talented artists who I believed shared my passion for expression and creation. Through my observations I have come to realize that many students here are constricted by their assigned tasks, there is no need or urge to express themselves outside of class. My question is why SCAD? why spend so much money to come here if you dont have an obsessive passion for art or design, or both? They are needed... many negative things are needed in this world. There must be a balance... This balance and the fact man must chose what is good and bad not to mention the fact no one can rightfully explain the phenomenon of "life" itself proves to us that regardless of what we believe is governed by a very powerful energy source that is omnipresent in our universe. Some men gave it a name, called it different names... became fascinated by its existence, used it to control... man then split apart because he wanted his own power, his own followers... That scenario is called... religion. There is nothing to argue about... its a blatant slap to the uneducated... "You are not intelligent, so I am going to feed you some phrases embedded with perplexing vocabulary (most of which we have ceased to incorporate in our current vernacular) so you will be bombarded with information forcing us to consider it credible. Stories like the creation of Eve where God takes a rib bone from Adam will be taken literally by any idiot, people of those days who were educated were philosophical so it was a metaphoric translation that woman was created as an equal... the ribs are in line with each other... she wasn't created from a bone above to be smarter or a bone below so she can be taken advantage of. If God wanted people to follow wouldn't he being the ideal being create a book that is very literal almost like instructions... but then again The almighty doesnt publish books with his spare time or go to certain people to tell them stories to relate. He also gave us the gift of free will... if its is a given gift...why follow the selfish, contradicting words of mortal men? The bible contains many great examples of being a good person however its not the only book that inspires a good life.

Its a week away from Mutual mitochondria and the energy is definitely flowing. Its going to be an amazing show. You need to be on Bay Street on the 2nd of April @ One Nine Gallery.

The quarter has one more day left and I am currently in the process of designing my mask for my Drawing for Design Final. I am looking forward to the last day of class tom and my trip to ATL THIS Weekend. This quarter gave me alot of solitude, Time to think, expand, formulate and understand purpose. Each quarter has a theme of development I think this quarter had alot to do with the question... "What was I put on this earth to do." I realized it was not fitting to have a gf under my current circumstances, the complexity of my persona, The culture clash and I can continue but it would deride the point of this entry. Experience is meaningful and I value it more than anything now. I am going to Japan afer SCAD. I asked myself who is going to hold that responsibility. Who can understand me? Who can accept me for me? Well no one at this point... I have realized just like parenthood, college is a sacrifice, IF YOU NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL... you cant be like everyone else... You need to throw in the hours and lock yourself away from society and everyday life as well as balancing your life with everyday experience.

Many people know me but how many people actually know me? Do they know how I think? How my mind bursts in sporadic decisions and I babble these innocent yet seemingly amusing tantrums... the war cry of the happy against the troubled and melancholy. I sometimes sit and wonder, stare into the horizons, the starry universe, the sea or sometimes just at my ceiling and affirm my purpose. I am writing this as a manifesto rather than a journal entry.

From ever since I was young I had a passion to create... even if it was one of my stories. My interest for life keeps expanding and I have grown fond of progression. This world has many obstacles that conflict the natural path of harmonic existence and in turn hinder minds from creating or expanding. Artists, Designers and many others have tried to inspire in all forms and fashion, sending clues to bring us closer to reality and like them, I will try to do the same. I work hard for a purpose. I am not perfect... and I dont intend to be... I intend to keep learning and progressing as time progresses, is there anything higher that "perfect perfection"? What is perfect? Who says what is and what is not? imperfections celebrate reality.



Can one answer the question of love and affection against lust and infatuation? Can anyone tell you what its like when you die? What do you see? Why does music stimulate you so intensely? Lets stop put our headphones and embrace the vibes. Life shouldbe seen as a song that we play, we control the notes and the eventual harmonic symphony.

For the first time in 4 years I felt butterflies. and my body felt numb and I was cold but not the chilly feeling you get on a winter night coming home from class.

Its 3am I cant sleep, whats new? I havent written in months. I apologize for my abhorrent time management skills. Currently I am in my studio in Trinidad thinking about my girlfriend and Savannah. The few who read this will be totally lost due to the large gap I left before I entered SCAD. This entry will cover more than usual to compensate the loss over the past couple months.

September 8th, I arrive in Hilton Head Airport with my mother.It is late, we are both tired but all the bags have not arrived. After waiting for about an hour, I finally spot our long awaited pieces of luggage. We quickly head to the car park and load up the sedan with all our luggage. The mere fact that we rented a sedan was not a wise choice. We had four large suitcases and hand luggage. My mother thought that the Pontiac G5 would have been a spacious sedan like the Chevy Malibu that we rented earlier this year. Unfortunately it wasn't. I spent my first couple of days in Oglethorpe Inn, southside Savannah with my mother. We got a special deal where we would get free breakfast. I took advantage of that. Oglethorpe Inn was a cross between "sketch" and elegant. There was a skylight in the common area that gave character to the building. The rooms were very clean, yet there was an uncomfortable aura to them. I was excited. My computer wa coming soon, I was going to meet the girl who I thought would be my wife and I was going to start SCAD. I felt important! I felt amazing. My perception slowly withered within the weeks to come. The first couple nights I slept in the room by myself because my roomate was coming a bit late. Even to this day sleeping in my dorm bed is like sleeping on a cloud, provided there are no ladies sleeping with me. Ariel (a girl who i met on facebook and believed to be in love with) met me by the pool the first day she came and we fell for eath other... it was romantic, we held hands, kissed alot and practically acted like a couple. I thought she was different from the rest. only to find out that she just wasn't for me. A couple weeks after, I started realizing that SCAD had alot of temptation and distraction. The school places it there purposely so students could run off track, get kicked out and fill the school's pocket. Several students take drugs on a daily basis. Cliche art students are not mythical they exist! The goths, emos, tempered lesbians, drunken sluts, kiss asses, nerds, jocks, stoners, hippies, bohemians and I could go on, all religions, races, nationalities combined! The experience is really overwhelming with the amount of culture that flourishes throughout the campus. I met numerous people and made several new friends. After years of f***ed up relationships I finally met someone who I eventually settled down with. The winter quarter is approaching and we miss each other alot. I need to make money, It is the hardest thing to do. I thought being successful would be easy... but its alot of hard work...