Sci Curious event reviews... Perfection and Speculation

Event reviews by our Sci Curious members

Perfection and Speculation: lecture by Adam Peacock, recipient of the Robert Garland Treseder Fellowship 

Review by James

Adam Peacock’s talk on “Perfection and Speculation” reflected upon the ways in which we perceive ourselves, each other, and the rest of the world. Through sharing insights into his interests in CRISPR, genetics, consumer culture, speculative design and the potentially frightening future of the human condition, Peacock challenged us to consider the ways we interact with social media, perfection and our own body image. In relation to his work, “Genetics Gym”, currently being exhibited in “Perfection” at the Science Gallery Melbourne, we were questioned about how much we, as humans and consumers of contemporary culture, would be prepared to modify our minds and bodies to suit our public image and self-perception. For example: if we required larger muscles or long limbs to better fit into a socio-cultural or physical environment, would we be prepared to change our physical attributes to meet that pressure? Moreover, if it were desirable to have a lower IQ or a certain mindset for a job, to what extent would we want to change the way we think in order to mesh with the status quo?

As a student studying design, I found this talk extremely engaging as it introduced us to questions about the relevance of designers in today’s age and the ethics behind the designs we create and our thought processes when creating them. Should we be producing designs that address the complex and multi-faceted world in which we live, or should we be trying to shape the world through innovative, digestible but potentially simpler designs? Is it our role as designers to challenge the way people think and to push boundaries? Or should we follow the path of least resistance?