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Since time immemorial humans have complained that life is becoming more complex, but it is only now that we have a hope to analyze formally and verify this lament. This article analyzes the human social environment using the "complexity profile," a mathematical tool for characterizing the collective behavior of a system. The analysis is used to justify the qualitative observation that complexity of existence has increased and is increasing. The increase in complexity is directly related to sweeping changes in the structure and dynamics of human civilizationthe increasing interdependence of the global economic and social system and the instabilities of dictatorships, communism and corporate hierarchies. Our complex social environment is consistent with identifying global human civilization as an organism capable of complex behavior that protects its components (us) and which should be capable of responding effectively to complex environmental demands.

When I started writing this essay I thought to summarize my views of hyperconnectivity as they coalesced in the past year, in relation to the emergence of the polytopia project, however as my writing progressed, it appeared that the area that I wished to cover was getting wider and broader, deeper and larger than I had anticipated. I therefore decided to divide the paper into a number (unknown at present) of consecutive essays under the collective title of: the rise of the Cyber Unified Civilization. (please bear with me as I try to disentangle and re-entangle my thoughts on this fascinating topic.)

To upgrade our thinking patterns is a beginning step to an upgrade in human consciousness, and is necessary if we are to succeed in adapting to our rapidly and inevitably changing world. In other words, if we don't enact a change, or learn to adapt to the incoming energies of change and transformation, our presence is likely to be no longer required, or needed. It is a sobering thought.

Philippe Barriere Collective uses hybrid architecture to chisel the Mahmud mosque in Tunisia as a testimony to merging the strengths of both - local artisanal strengths and Computer Aided Drawing. Check out the feature and leave us your comments…

ALTO Design's new Équiparc DELTA street furniture collection impresses with the simplicity of its lines, which evokes both robustness and sophistication...

The Land of the Free punishes or imprisons more of its citizens than any other nation. This collection of testimonials from criminal offenders, family members, and experts on America's criminal justice system puts a human face on the millions of Americans subjugated by the US Government's 40 year, one trillion dollar social catastrophe: The War on Drugs; a failed policy underscored by fear, politics, racial prejudice and intolerance in a public atmosphere of out of sight, out of mind. The United States has only 5% of the world's population, yet a full 25% of the world's prisoners. At 2.5 million, the US has more prisoners than even China does with five times the population of the United States. 8 million Americans (1 in every 31) languish under some form of state monitoring known as correctional supervision. On top of that, the security and livelihood of over 13 million more has been forever altered by a felony conviction. The American use of punishment is so pervasive, and so disproportionate, that even the conservative magazine The Economist declared in 2010, never in the civilized world have so many been locked up for so little. The project will unfold over a two year period, beginning with the release of this feature-length documentary and then continuing on with the release of short films and complete interviews from each of the 100 participants in the project, meant to represent the 1 in 100 Americans that are currently sitting behind bars.

One of the most fascinating things to come out of the current We Are 99%/Occupy Wall Street protests is the We Are 99% Tumblr.  At the site, people hold up signs that explain their current circumstances, and it tells the story of a whole range of Americans struggling in the Lesser Depression.  It is highly recommended. DATA The site features pictures of individuals holding their signs, and occasionally the tumblr reproduces the text of the signs themselves underneath the image as html text.  Sometimes the text under the image is blank, sometimes it is a different message, but often it is the sign itself. In order to get a slightly better empirical handle on this important tumblr, I created a script designed to read all of the pages and parse out the html text on the site.  It doesn't read the images (can anyone in the audience automate calls to an OCR?), just the html text.  After collecting all the text on all the pages, the code then goes through it to try to find interesting points. It's a fun exercise, pointing out things I wouldn't have seen otherwise.  For instance, I found this adorable little rascal, pictured below, mucking up the algorithm, as the first version of the code assumed all the ages would have two digits.  I found that he, and the sign his mom made for him as a confessional to her son, hit me a ton harder than any of the more direct signs of despair in this economy:

Can fashion play a role in challenging the perceptions of art and culture? If Tarun Tahiliani's Spring Summer 15 collection is anything to go by, we couldn't agree more. Read here and leave us your views…

Designer duo Falguni and Shane Peacock have taken the traditional couture scene by storm with their structured lehengas that speak of royal origins and are juxtaposed with delicate trimmings that accentuate feminity. Check out the collection here…

Using an earthy palette and contemporary aesthetic to cocoon a precious collection of art and antiques, ZZ Architects designs a high-end apartment in Mumbai…

@snkindia's exhibition design for the ongoing "India & the World" at the CSMVS, Mumbai is a subtle nod to meticulously designed transition spaces that aid the important unfolding of distinct small stories in the larger collective narrative of India's history in relation to the world. Read on to know more!

@solisbetancourt_sherrill refurbish a pre-war home in Manhattan, with the aim to amalgamate the homemaker's Latin American art collection in its contextually-driven ambience. Check out the story here leave us your comments…

"Love Intermedia Kinetic Environments." John Brockman speaking - partly kidding, but conveying the notion that Intermedia Kinetic Environments are In in the places where the action is - an Experience, an Event, an Environment, a humming electric world.

"Because every woman deserves to preen comfortably!" designers Gauri & Nainika bring back good old Hollywood glamour with a debut shoe collection! Check it out here…

Fashion designers Abraham & Thakore extend their 'textiles for home' expertise to design rugs for carpet magnate Obeetee. Check out their offerings under Obeetee's "Proud to be Indian" collection

#A&KDesignStudio plays with patterns, colours and layers culling out a distinct design vocabulary via the homeowners' collection of art and memorabilia in this South #Mumbai home, alluding to a chic experimental style.

Noted by Post-it® - the design-forward collection of stationery and desktop accessories from 3M is the winner of the #ProductoftheYear2021 at India Art n Design. Check it out here…