Two women in a self-reliant group in Rotterdam. Their business is keeping offices clean. What does learning mean for them?
Learning, they said, is everything. Having an education is proof that you matter to society. When you apply for a job you are asked to show the papers. The diploma. What philosopher Michael Sandel calls ‘the credentials’. How can members of self-reliant groups demonstrate their value?
The women reflect on how knowledge gets produced in many places, not just universities. Could the object we are designing, through which we can learn, also provide recognition for our contribution to society? Could the object be ‘our diploma’, a ‘learning diploma’?
One of the Scottish members says,
I hate tech, I hate Facebook, but if we can make something that lets others see what I can do. If it shouts out loud that I have something to offer. Then I am ready for tech.