Last week’s topic in my Wicked Problems course was wicked sustainability problems and collapse. In our first class we began to understand what wicked problems were and what makes a problem wicked. We also discussed Easter Island and the crumbling of the civilization that inhabited the island. In class we had opportunities to have class discussions to share our thoughts and opinions, as well as educate each other on topics pertaining to wicked problems. We all participated in an activity where we got to practice arguments and counter-arguments where the topic was the relation between wicked problems in today’s society and Easter Island’s society.
On the first day of class we were told to talk with our neighbors about possible wicked problems in the world. My partner and I discussed global warming and how it contributes to our world in a negative way. It was interesting to hear what other groups discussed as well. I heard answers like deforestation, climate change, fast fashion, and other interesting answers.
On the second day of class we participated in a class activity where we were able to pose an argument and have a person with a differing view counter argue said argument. It was a very interesting activity and I enjoyed it. I had never participated in an activity like this before; it was both interesting and nerve-racking. It was so refreshing to watch how quickly people came up with their arguments and counterarguments, especially when they seemed to be well thought out and make a good point.
Regarding to last week’s topic I was able to contribute my ideas, thoughts, and opinions to the learning community. On the first day of class my partner and I were able to contribute our thoughts on possible wicked problems. My partner and I were able to work together and brainstorm to answer the question asked of us by our professor. I was also able to contribute during the argument and counterargument activity. I am not going to lie, when it was my turn to come up with a counterargument, it was difficult to gather my thoughts to successfully make a good point. I’m going to use that experience as motivation in the future to become better at making arguments and counterarguments.
I had several takeaways from last week’s topic; the major ones were fast fashion,The 11th Hour film, and what we read and discussed on Easter Island. During the first day of class’ discussion on possible wicked problems, a classmate proposed fast fashion as an answer. Until the classmate explained what it was and why it was a wicked problem I was confused on how it related to a wicked problem. The student explained that fast fashion is inexpensive clothing being produced rapidly in response to the latest trends, and that it is a wicked problem because the resources used are usually not recycled or reused and simply discarded into the ocean or any other location where it does harm to the Earth. I had several takeaways from the documentary that we watched in class, The 11th Hour. From the documentary many different scientists, well educated people, and indigenous people spoke about the problems destroying our Earth. They brought up many well known and talked about topics like: the Industrial Revolution, climate change, global warming, deforestation, and multiple other factors that play key roles in the deteriorating state of the Earth. The documentary held back nothing and was very visual with the terrible problems happening in our world. It’s very clear to humans that we are ruining the Earth, but no one can agree on ways to fix it and we are running out of time before the Earth will be completely uninhabitable. Before our second day of class we had to read The Lessons of Easter Island, which focused on the rise and fall of the inhabitants of the Island. Before reading the article I only knew about Easter Island because of the famous Easter Island heads that are placed on the island. From the article I was able to learn about the first inhabitants of the island and their inevitable fate to lack of resources, deforestation, and ultimately death.
From last weeks’ classes I had the chance to both contribute and learn information, thoughts, ideas, and opinions.