Sustainism Is the New Modernism

In the twentieth century, whether we knew it or not, our world was shaped by modernist values, from the design of our cities and our homes and our sense of place, to our technologies and our ideas of progress. Sustainism recasts our relationship to all of these things.

The Sustainist world we are making is both globalized and local, ecological as well as technological. Farmer's markets, open source information on the web, green economics, carbon footprint reduction and social media are all seen as part of the movement towards a Sustainist future.

With this manifesto, Michiel Schwarz and Joost Elffers launch the term Sustainism into the public consciousness.

As Michiel Schwarz and Joost Elffers argue, "Sustainism marks a shift not only in thinking and doing but in collective perception---of how we live, do business, feed ourselves, build our communities and communicate, as much as how we deal with nature."

Sustainism is the New Modernism charts the shift towards Sustainism through graphically dynamic aphorisms and a series of visual Sustainist symbols designed for worldwide use by businesses, individuals and institutions, to communicate Sustainist values and signal support for this new era.

Michiel Schwarz is a cultural thinker, innovator and consultant, now working from Berkeley, California. Originally trained as a sociologist of technology, he has initiated projects on global issues, the future of design, technology and media. His publications include the Technological Culture and Speed: Visions of an Accelerated Age.
Joost Elffers is a creative producer, "symbol maker" and designer, based in New York. He is the initiator and producer of award-winning and innovative books such as 48 Laws of Power, Play with your Food and Tangram: The Ancient Chinese Shapes Game.