Rossendorf Lounge - A "cultural island"

RoDoLounge - unpublished (yet)

Exactly 365 days ago (one year ;-)), I personally handed over a freshly printed version of our action research paper "RoDoLounge - Rossendorf Innovationstreffpunkt" to the rector of the Technical University Dresden, Prof. Dr. Hans Müller-Steinhagen.

The paper itself describes the chances that are ahead of the local community, specifically Dresden, that will face a dramatic lowering of German government and European Community funding starting with 2015 (in less than three years), and the complete elimination of the "Solidarpakt" from 2019 on which in quite a bit, is used to finance infrastructure in the formerly GDR states.

We built the case around the successful Fraunhofer FEP Lounge, where in a relaxing surrounding researchers, managers, students, and interested citizens meet. Shouldn't that be the foundation to make true learning about emerging technology possible?

The documentary about Singularity University co-founder Ray Kurzweil "Transcendent Man" (released in spring 2011) made us feel, that the time would be ripe to go one step further in bringing the vision of LockSchuppen (an interdisciplinary innovation accelerator) into being.

... and yet all moved on differently. As Kurt Lewin (1890-1947), a German-born psychologist, coined, "If you truly want to understand a system, try to change it", and we learned it the "hard way".

Even though with good intentions, and working along-side with the financial constraints that will hit (for sure) the Free State of Saxony in a couple of years, the reactions of already positioned players in research, education, and business/ consulting can be disturbing. At present the action on bringing innovation into being will be probably started only when there is public funding on the horizon. So any activity on the "periphery" or "edge" of the "running system", and with a different value proposition, is seen as a potential threat to currently based business processes. Surprising!

Should therefor the efforts to create a new kind of education especially on emerging technology be stopped? - "There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." -- Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977. (Dead wrong as we by now know)

There is true abundance in the various ways of learning. An elegant, and free-floating interconnection between the traditional ways of teaching, and new forms combining art and science such as DzWk e.V. (center of arts and science) with the concept of a Science Center to bring research into public by letting citizens play, and experience what hightech is; Werk.Stadt.Laden (a local hacker space), OpenCoffeeClubDresden (a social innovation space); .....

May the two books be the accelerators of thought, and action on the way. Thanks a lot Peter Diamandis and Otto Scharmer for all the inspiration on the way, which has led to totally new experiences along the way :)

..... are you in making the future what it is capable to be with our joint help?

PS.: BlueFuture2012 is just another perspective, and approach for making the above reality. What is your vision for 2020, 2056, or beyond?