Elements, relationships and a purpose. And their binding agent, integrity: these are what make up a system. Dynamic and holistic, systems behave like living entities-- constantly changing, evolving, and adapting. Most things we interact with on the daily are systems– the electronic devices we use, the people around us, and even the space we live in. An amalgamation of different elements and functions, a system is more than just a sum of its parts. Many a time, these elements on their own may not make sense until they’re strung together with the rest of their whole to ultimately serve a greater purpose—or multiple purposes: Its success lies in its ability to manage these sub-purposes in harmony despite potential conflicts that may arise.
During our lecture, we were shown 15 stills from the “powers of 10” video by Charles and Ray Eames, and a question was raised—how many systems can be seen?
In my opinion, there’s only one system—just visualised at different scales. From the micro image of cells and cell organelles, to the macro image of the universe as a whole, we all ultimately belong to just one massive system, with infinite others nested within it. Meaning, everything is interconnected… It’s a lot to take in.
I particularly liked the example of an old city neighbourhood where people were familiar with each other being a system, and a new apartment block full of strangers not being one, since it helped me better understand that systems consist of elements whose interconnections need not necessarily be tangible (such as in a computer), but intangible as well. To me it gives it a whole new layer of depth, and further proves the point that systems are not found in just material things but in emotional connections as well.
Bibliography:
Extract-
Meadows, D. (2008). The Basics. In: Meadows, D, Thinking in Systems. pp. 11-17
Image-
Dribbble, Clayton Shonkwiler [Image] Available at: https://dribbble.com/shots/3649133-Intertwine. Accessed on: 24 October 2020
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