DESIGN FICTION
The Treaty Of One Heart
How might we maintain peace in a future of inevitable conflicts?
The subject
As a submission to the United Nations’ Futuring Peace initiative, I explored how peace could be maintained in a future where conflict is inevitable.
Signals
Timeframe
The speculation
THE FUTURE SCENARIO
In a near future, Europe tensions are rising.
Europe remains crippled, America’s role in the world is still uncertain, and measures for conflict prevention and human rights are increasingly impaired. Joe Biden leads the US and Kim Yo-jong has taken leadership of North Korea. Power shifts continue to disrupt, and measures for conflict prevention and human rights continue to be impaired.
Conflict is inevitable!
The Conflict Cycle
Breathing, mindfulness, and minimising tension
Protracted conflicts rush leaders into making significant decisions, while spot-fires of internal conflict spark emotionally charged reactions that might further prolong the conflict.
In a future where conflict is inevitable, how can mindfulness and calm be maintained?
Just as the boots of troops fall into a rhythm as they march toward conflict, so too can the hearts of leaders and citizens of conflicting states fall into synch and contribute to tension minimisation.
Controlled breathing can strengthen leaders’ and citizens’ capacity to make calm and grounded decisions by filtering out the emotional distraction of rising tensions. Controlled breathing clears the bloodstream of the stress hormone cortisol while increasing the vitality hormone DHEA; reduces anxiety and blood pressure; allows us to control our emotional state; and fosters strong cognitive performance. [1][2]
1. Williams, M. The Science Behind BreathSync.
2. Zaccaro, A., & Piarulli, A. How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life.
The design fictions
The TREATY OF ONE HEART
Accepting the world’s only hope for surviving the unavoidable conflicts ahead is to commit to minimising the tension, the UN asks state leaders to commit to the Treaty of One Heart.
Design Fictions:
- Treaty document
- One Heart App mock-up
- Propaganda poster
Medium
Values*
*Future Scouting aims to champion values during futuring to ensure we are always fostering our preferred futures.
1.The One Heart Treaty document
Leaders of states at risk of conflict sign the treaty which binds them and their citizens to adhere to the treaty rules.
Commitment to the Treaty of One Heart binds leaders and citizens of states at risk of conflict to commit to using controlled breathing rituals, combined with ubiquitous smartphone technology, to:
- Generate mass mindfulness to minimise tension throughout the conflict cycle
- Form a symbolic ongoing connection between the hearts and minds of those on all sides of the conflict
2. The One Heart App
The One Heart Treaty uses common smartphone heart monitor technology, a breathing app, and rituals, to connect the hearts of citizens with their leaders’—and with the citizens and leaders of the states they are in conflict with—by synching them to the one controlled breathing rhythm.
While also providing a symbol of their one shared heart—that users can hold in their hand—the One Heart must be kept strong by all involved in the conflict that connects them.
- Leaders maintain peace with mindfulness by syncing their hearts through controlled breathing
- Leaders and citizens maintain mindfulness throughout the conflict cycle to minimise tension
3. Promotional Instruction Poster
Sent out to all state leaders, this promotional poster employed a propaganda-style design to encourage commitment to the treaty.