Project name: The Collective Dream Project
Description
Illustrating a brighter, more robust and intersectional vision for web3
Mission
The mission of the collective dream project is to propose an alternative, more inclusive, and intersectional vision of the future. A new futurism defined by dreams of real humans optimistic about a better tomorrow.
Problem
With the rapid advancements, adoption, capital, and breakthroughs being witnessed in web3, the overwhelming pressure to build and move quick is just as strong. But have we paused to really ask what exactly we’re building or running toward? Or is it just more dollar signs? What holistic future do we see at the end of the run? If crypto, our communities, our planet, and us as individuals were to simultaneously achieve “success” - what does the world look like? How does it feel? We need a vision of the future that resonates on a deeper level. One we can all see, hear, and even taste. A future detached from a floor price. A future that encapsulates both our individual and collective desires. We need to know where we’re all going. Especially at a time like right now. A clear vision will shine a new light on what growth and progress even is. If we don’t know what we’re progressing toward, regardless of how dominant and mainstream crypto becomes, we’ll continue to run in circles of perpetual dissatisfaction. Mainstream adoption alone will not regenerate the human and cultural spirit.
“But what about Solarpunk?”
Although we see some variety, predominant images of the future still stem from a relatively finite set of cultural references. Sci-fi and dystopian forms of media have proven extremely powerful in shaping the popularized futurism aesthetics such as solarpunk, cyberpunk, vaporwave, etc. This content paints a vision of what the future could or should be. Visions that weren’t really created by, but imposed upon us. And now continue to accrue space in both the digital zeitgeist and our minds. These images becoming entangled with our dreams to reorient our behaviors toward still often, very capitalist ideals. Values that have been established by the select few and imposed upon the many, but creatively packaged for mass adoption.
Further, many renditions of this world lack sufficient depth. While yes, a vision of a solarpunk future looks pretty, it still feels very ambiguous and limited. What are the rules that govern this world? What does my daily life look like here? What behaviors are encouraged? Where does my grandma fit into this world? A woman in Bangladesh? the LGBT community? Those battling mental illness? The ambiguity surrounding these worlds ultimately leave us directionless, slowing progress with little clarity on the proper steps we can take today. Clarity will allow us to understand what values should be more central in our lives today if we want to make progress.
On the other hand, social media has enabled the emergence of many micro communities. Bonded under more defined and nuanced visions for a future world. However, these niche worlds often lack realistic viability due to their siloed nature. They fail to account for the interconnectedness and complexities of our modern systems.
So here we are faced with:
- A monolithic, culturally-dilute vision of the future. Failing to account for the rich diversity of human life.
And
- A series of siloed future worlds that, realistically speaking, could only exist independently.
In both cases we’re still making little progress toward a “better world”. Running in different directions or meandering toward a world with little personal resonance. Leading us to more perpetual short-term chases. A collective future vision can give our lives today long-term meaning. And through a shared journey toward this vision, connect us more deeply with each other along the way.
We need a unified vision of the future that adequately reflects the interdependence of ecological, cultural, and spiritual renewal. A future that can hold and support each of our unique dreams. So ultimately, even if it is for different reasons, we’ll be moving there together. Any step I take toward my individual dreams will likewise, be supporting the dream of the collective.
Solution/Product
I like to think of this project as the decolonizing + uniting of our dreams worlds.
If our dreams shared a dream, what could be?
The Collective Dream Project is on a pursuit to find a diversity of overlooked world-builders, shapers, creatives, activists, community-leaders, and alternative thinkers from all locations, religions, industries, professions, etc. to ask the question:
“What is the world you dream of?”
We hope to come away with clarity on where these dreams intersect, what attributes and values underpin them and ultimately design a new vision of a new world where all of our independent dream worlds might exist. A world that can reawaken something within our individual and collective spirit, to re-inspire and motivate us to live and strive for. Then better illustrate how crypto and web3 can facilitate and bridge the gap between where we are now and where we hope to be! Alongside the internal, social, and environmental work that needs to be done outside of the web. This exploration and subsequent sharing of this vision through media content, will help others to build toward this future while giving us a starting point for a series of following projects that are aligned. These could be projects that we organically start and elevate women/minorities to lead and execute them OR existing, but overlooked projects we find and can partner with, fund, and help build.
> Validation / Traction / Progress so far
- Established project timeline
-Sourced ~100 participants and have begun outreach
-Completed research into effective civic imagination / world building workshops for best practices. Have developed a tested list of 50+ thought starters. - Issued beta survey for initial data collection & testing
Team
Sela - Communication, Data Science/Design BA Candidate at UCLA (grad: 2023), Social & Brand Strategist in entertainment marketing, Internet Research Initiative Fellow.
Grant Amount Requested
$10,000
Amount in USD
What it will be used for?
- Expanding team to include more researchers, journalists, and honestly anyone who wants to participate and likes talking to people - to source and survey participants for the project. The goal is to hear from 500-1,000 individuals around the world.
- Compensation for analysts, visual/digital designers, writers to help visually represent vision and create activations that effectively illustrate this dream world. Writers for editorial content and storytelling.
- Pay for media/pr team to help us share our findings in various outlets.
Attach any additional documents/resources about the project if you have any.
Notion – The all-in-one workspace for your notes, tasks, wikis, and databases.
https://www.notion.so/Collective-Dream-Project-Outline-PROCESS-86e94085d01d447c938089cae6a44885
How did you hear about MGD’s Funding program?
Referred through MyBFF, Boys Club, & Forefront:)