Exploring a future where the Internet is God by Nina Cecilie Højholdt May 2018 Thesis project Interaction Design Master at K3 / Malmö University / Sweden Supervisor : Henrik Svarrer Larsen Examination on May 29th 2018 Examiner : Per Linde 2. edition 2 Abstract This research project seeks to create an encounter with the internet which nourishes the user’s relationship to the technology and celebrates it for its positive ideals. In order to do this, it draws on a speculative design approach, and explores which artefacts and rituals might exist in a possible future where the internet has taken on the role of technology today. Aspects from rituals and religious practice are used in order to create an experience that can be engaging, reflective and tranquil. The outcome of the project is an interactive shrine for the home, where the owner might practice their devotions to the internet through a designed ritual, as well as an accompanying narrative in the form of a sacred text. The design was the center of a focus group in which the participants collaboratively discussed, speculated about- and made meaning of issues surrounding the internet and religion. The research highlights the importance of the body, branching into the whole sensory apparatus, in religious practice, and makes an argument for the importance of the interplay between mind and body in interaction design. Acknowledgements I would like to thank my supervisor Henrik Svarrer Larsen for inspiring and intellectually stimulating conversations. Thank you for asking challenging questions throughout the process. A big thank you to my fellow students at Malmö University, with whom I had exciting debates, thorough feedback sessions and great critique on my design work. To the people who participated in my focus group, who allowed me to ask them abstract and provocative questions and in turn provided me with intriguing perspectives and opinions. And lastly, thank you to all the people who offered their inputs and perspectives on my work, both on request and unsolicited. 3 Abstract 3 Acknowledgements 3 1. Introduction 6 1.1 Problem space 6 1.2 Presentation of the final concept 7 1.3 Related work 9 1.4 Ethics 11 2. Theoretical grounding 12 2.1 Artefacts as Mediators (What Things Do) 12 2.2 Embodied interaction 13 3. Methodology 16 3.1 Research through Design 16 3.2 Speculative Design 17 3.3 Doing design work 19 4. Rituals 21 4.1 Designing new rituals 22 5. Early experiments and inquiries 23 5.1 Talking to people about religion 23 5.2 Experiencing religion and spirituality 24 5.3 Constructing rituals 25 6. A shrine for the internet 27 6.1 Shrines and prayer beads 28 6.2 Analysis of common elements in rituals 32 6.3 Developing The Shrine 34 7. Focus group 40 7.1 Selection of respondents 40 7.2 Overview 40 7.3 Notable findings 41 8. Discussion and research outcomes 42 8.1 A speculative artefact 43 8.3 Learning from religion 45 9. Conclusion 47 References 48 Appendix A 52 Appendix B 54 Appendix C 56 4 1. Introduction Few would dispute the fact that computation, and especially the internet, is increasingly moving into the uttermost intimate parts of our lives. Not only is it helping us solve problems and be more effective at work, we use it to communicate with loved ones, sharing secrets, getting medical help, keeping track of our health (everything from eating habits to our menstrual cycles), knowing where to be and how to get there, and so on. To put it briefly, the internet mediates an immense part of our daily lives. However, as our lives are becoming increasingly intertwined with this internet, nurturing our relationship with the technology itself should be important. This project seeks to use interaction design as a way to create an encounter with technology (namely the internet), not just through ​ ​ technology. As such, the focus is on creating an experience that serves a reflective purpose, rather than using the internet as a mediating utility. As the internet develops and grows, so does its misuse. The technology can become abusive, discriminative and disturbing. Privacy and surveillance concerns, social engineering, persuasive design for addiction, and stress, are all issues that have increased over the recent years (Center for Humane Technology, n.d.). This is an unfortunate development. This research project departs in a belief that the internet is inherently good. Its foundations are good. If we look at the original ideals of the internet (namely the www), we see values such as “open”, “free”, “collaborative” and “creativity” (Solon, 2017). I therefore believe in the importance of creating experiences with the internet emphasizing on the positive opportunities, and taking responsibility as a designer, by creating things that do good. Whether this be through concepts, products or experiences that embody these ideals, or through a more critical design practice. 1.1 Problem space To sum up, this research project focuses on creating a positive experience with the internet, and through this, inviting the user to reflect on their relationship with it as more than a utilitarian entity. In order to achieve this, I will seek to examine how one might draw on elements of religious and ritualistic practice, using their perceived potential for creating engaging, serene and meaningful experiences. At first sight, this combination of religion and interaction design might seem like an ill-matched couple, and indeed, it has twisted some brows throughout the study. However, as written by philosopher Alain de Botton, it is possible, from a non-religious point of view, to find religion “sporadically useful, interesting and consoling – and be curious as to the possibilities of importing ​ certain of their ideas and practices into the secular realm” (2012, p. 11-12). And as this paper will ​ show, interaction design and religious practice share more similarities than first anticipated, and it has indeed been a particularly interesting lens through which to explore our relation with the internet. 5 This thesis is framed as a speculative design project. Using this approach, the project seeks to create a narrative wherein the internet has taken on the role of religion in today’s/past society. When people engage with the artefacts constituting the narrative, it seeks to create an experience where they can have a tranquil, positive and reflective experience not only through technology but also with ​ ​ ​ technology. Distilling this framing into concise questions guiding the research then becomes: What kind of interactive artefact might exist in a possible future where the internet has taken the role of religion today? How could the process of designing and assessing such an artefact take shape? What similarities exist between interaction design and religious practice, and what can interaction design learn from religious practice? 1.2 Presentation of the final concept Having explored the above mentioned problem space through research and designerly practice, a final concept and prototype has been produced. The creation of this artefact can be seen as both a way of obtaining knowledge throughout the process, as well as an implicit theoretical contribution itself. Imagine a future where the internet is something we actively celebrate, praise, trust in and devote ourselves to. A future where we see it for the immense power of connecting the world, transcending borders and breaking down barriers. With this project, the hope is for a future where the internet will be celebrated for its utopian foundations, not this increasingly dystopian reality. To quote Dunne & Raby (2007/2008), this object is created in anticipation of that time. 6 Figure 1. The Shrine The Shrine is a home altar where the owner can practice their daily devotions towards the internet, the all knowing God. By interacting with The Shrine, they are able to have a tranquil experience with their beloved technology, opening up a positive space for reflection. The Shrine is focused around a set of artefacts and accompanying ritual, and by engaging with the ritual a manifestation of the deity (the internet) will appear. By doing the sequence prescribed by the ritual, the owner will experience a range of activities, engaging most of the senses and their body, which in turn makes the spirit change and sounds play. The ritual is designed to provide a ceremonial feeling, but also leaves time for the user’s personal agenda; whether they wish to reflect on the values of the internet or pray for a better connection to Netflix is completely up to them. Furthermore, they are welcome to explore The Shrine outside of the ritual, making their own meaning. The Shrine and the designed ritual can be seen in the concept video found here. ​ ​ 7 The Shrine is accompanied by a set of sacred texts, The Book of Clouds, introducing new owners to The Shrine’s capabilities, as well as core beliefs, central stories and myths, suggested pilgrimage routes, and so on. Figure 2. The Book of Clouds 1.3 Related work This section will present a series of works that are related to the endeavours of this project. They are divided into two categories: Work related to technology and religion, and work related to interaction design and religion. In the first category, two newer religious movements will be presented; Syntheism and Kopimism. The second category highlights two selected projects of relevance within interaction design and HCI. When surveying the internet and library for examples, the selection was not abundant, however, as the following will show, some interesting articles and projects were found. 1.3.1 Syntheism and Kopimism This project is certainly not the first to create a religious movement around technology, although the ambitions here might differ from Syntheism and Kopimism.