When María, one of Resolve Conservation’s founders asked me to design a t-shirt for their team, she told me to draw a pack of wolves and the wording “a pack of bitches getting it done”. I was a bit reluctant to use the word bitch. You see, English is not my first language and the only use I knew for this word was negative. She did explain to me that “Bitch” is not a bad word, but the proper word for the females of many canid species, like wolves. She said that the pejorative slang is used to make women feel less than, and that the word bitch is used to describe women who are “opinionated, bossy, aggressive” - she said: but we embrace these traits.
At the same time, not by chance, everyone had been recommending this AMAZING book: Women who run with the Wolves…. Well, so many ills of the world would be solved if everyone read this book....
In Women who run with wolves, Dr. Pinkola Estés has done a great job describing the feminine psyche. And by feminine she speaks about the oriental - Jungian concept of feminine vs. masculine, as the part of everyone (men and women) that has feminine characteristics: compassion, care, different value of time (as in patience), nourishment, connection to nature. Mother Nature represents all that is feminine, and just like a bitch from a Wolf Pack will nurture its pups, she will fiercely defend them, protect the pack and follow her instincts. Bitches are soft and tough, they are strong and gentle, and they always have time to play and run free.
We do need more bitches around. Men and Women who are connected to the wild, untamed and wise (as connected to their instinct) amongst us. This part of us is the one that bleeds when we see harm done to our environment, and the part that heals when we spend some quiet time during a walk outside. It is the part that wakes up when we have children, it is the part that calls us to fight and defend our ecosystem, for we need equilibrium to survive as a species. The feminine psyche is Empathic, it is guided by Instinct, it recognises the Systemic nature/ the connectedness of our environment, it is untamed and bold…. If only we had some methodology to harness all these instincts into tangible environmental projects.
So here is the good news: Design Thinking methodologies thrive on Empathy, they tell you that in order to design for wolves, you have to run with the wolves, feel with the wolves, and think like the wolves.
Design Thinking for Conservation
It's good news that the feminine has found a way into our occidental ways (more on this here)…. Design Thinking can provide a clear, well-established and tested framework to help grassroots groups and large organisations to find value in natural resources, support sustainable practices and thrive beyond commercial success. From start-up companies to environmental agencies, Design for Conservation can help you align values and purpose to any project.
Want to know more? Check out design4conservation.com and join the pack!!
#designforconservation #design4conservation #jointhepack #designforsustainability #empathy