As the authors of the manifesto argue, "sustainism marks a shift not only in thinking and doing but in collective perception—of how we live, do business, feed ourselves, design, travel and communicate, as much as how we deal with nature." In the twentieth century, our world was shaped by modernist values, from the design of our cities to our homes, technologies, and our conceptions of progress. Sustainism recasts our relationship to all of these things, connecting ecological issues to a larger picture of our world. Through a series of dynamic aphorisms, quotes and symbols, Michiel Schwarz and Joost Elffers show how the movement is already reshaping global culture, technology, food, and media. With their manifesto, they launch the term sustainism into the public consciousness.
More about the Sustainism Manifesto
The authors
Michiel Schwarz is a Dutch independent cultural thinker, innovator and producer. Originally trained as a sociologist of technology, he has initiated projects on global issues, the future of design, technology and media. His publications include The Technological Culture and Speed: Visions of an Accelerated Age.
Joost Elffers is a designer, "symbol maker" and creative producer of award-winning and innovative books such as 48 Laws of Power, Play With Your Food and Tangram: The Ancient Chinese Shapes Game.
Sustainism Is the New Modernism: A Cultural Manifesto for the Sustainist Era was published in January 2011 by D.A.P./Distributed Art Publishers, New York.