PERSONAL ESSAY

People are always looking at what is coming next rather than looking at where they currently are. Our world is moving fast – too fast. Today, technology has transformed our lives. Originally made to help us save time for things that matter: family, friends, and fun. But has it? I would argue that it has done the opposite. Technology makes us feel like we have to cram more into our days. Work longer. Sleep less. Drive faster. Repeat. We have lost the appreciation for our surroundings and the process from getting A to B. We are passing through life without even knowing it. We are simply going through the motions. Humans have become consumed in themselves.

This is evident in non-places. We quickly pull into the parking garage, turn our car off and rush into work. Rapidly walking in the airport in order to hurry up and wait at our departure gate. When we travel through a non-place, others are all around. But all of those others are on separate paths, in separate worlds inside their own head. The thoughts running throughout one’s mind can become distracting and lead a person to forget where they are on a journey. 

Non-places lack characterization. Auge argues that non-places are never totally complete. All non-places share a trait which leads the user to stay in their own lives and never interact with another that might be standing next to you. Everyone stays in their own lane. This creates a space of solitude. This solitude can build up and be a detriment to society. It generates the feeling of loneliness inside of a person. This feeling that no one is watching you. No one can see you. This feeling has cost the lives of seven individuals on Ohio State’s campus. 

A change needs to happen. Even the smallest step forward can make all of the difference. A simple smile to a stranger. A welcoming aroma. An interactive wall in which you can see other people have played before. It creates a connection to a stranger. A bond that even in the slightest way can show others are not invisible. If one small gesture can impact others’ thoughts. Imagine what design can do. If the space itself is designed for people to interact with each other, or leave their mark on the space. Imagine the ripple effect that can cause. Non-places are made up of individuals all on different paths, the non-place creates a point of commonality. All are in space at some point on their journey. Others are sharing the road, the parking garage, or the airport. If the space is designed to show that others have been there before, and more are coming. It can cause the solitude to subside and a culture of care to rise above.