Il potere della scelta / The power of choice

There are words that when pronounced, read or listened to, arouse a sense of disturbance, fear, respect or rejection: ethics is one of them. What is it that causes annoyance? It is one of those words full of meaning, but at the same time emptied and desecrated by use, that needs to be dismantled and rebuilt to find their strength. Based on these considerations, the text breaks down the concept of ethics, analyses its weaknesses and develops along various tracks that open up opportunities for thinking. Compared to fifteen years ago, at the time of the Diid number “Ethic plus” (2003) the design has changed, because the world has changed. The territories and boundaries of the discipline have become frayed; the progressive transition from analogic to digital has transformed the design context. The radical changes we are experiencing - ecological, social, economic, technological - require strong and decisive choices. In our world of large numbers and global production, where everything seems possible and legitimate, ethics looks to no longer exist, crushed by the logic of profit. The new generations are more sensitive. They have a greater awareness of issues about social and environmental respect. They feel anger towards those who preceded them, thinking without any scruple only about their interest. Maker and Hackers engage and work enthusiastically with and for others. They aspire to real change. Their interest is not pop-up, and it is an investment for the quality of life. They go beyond bottom-up or top-down dynamics, creating horizontal connections between different worlds. Are there margins for a change of route? What could be the role of design? The text is divided into eight tracks, also providing suggestions for rethinking what design we must teach today.