Functional Fixedness and

Society Denise Mac Giolla Ri

3/3/2014

Aim

• To understand functional fixedness in relation to society

• To understand the relationship between creativity and necessity

Modern V Primitive

• What is the difference between modern society and primitive societies?

• Modern society • Technology

• Individuality – focused

• Self-actualisation

• Outsourcing of the production of goods• Large scale production of goods

• Viability dependant upon the consumer demand and market

• Globalisation

• Ease of access to goods

• Competitive*

• Primitive society • Underdeveloped – culture, technology,

economic

• Self-reliant

• Individual/family

• Fewer recourses but skilled to make the best use of the available resources

• Skills passed on

• Based upon survival

Modern society

• Ireland during ‘Celtic Tiger’• ‘plenty of money’

• Market driven

• Problems solved with material possessions (products)

• Consumerism

• Immediate gratification

• Reliance on the market place

• Convenience

• Gratification

• Detachment

• Move away from self reliance (cultural shift)• Baking, knitting, sewing, mending,

making….

• Ireland post ‘Celtic Tiger’• Less money

• Focus self and family and community

• Emergence of ‘lost’ skills

• ‘Choice’ – do anything you what…

• Openness

• Less resources more creativity

• Less money more personal production• Gardening for food

• Commuinity gargening – mens sheds

• Updating furniture – reuse

• Baking

• Knitting

• Aided by internet – access to information, inspiration, ‘Know how’

Culture

• Origins of Irish ‘Self reliance’ and ‘Small group dependency’

• Civil unrest, poverty, and adversity

• Island nation

• Turf for energy

• Food – use all parts of the animal

• Stone walls – available materials

• Tradition arising from available resources

• Playing spoons

Creativity and Necessity

• Necessity as a drive to solve problems

• Necessity using it as an opportunity to create

• Functional fixedness is not part of survival mode

END