In his essays on Poor World and Critical Group-Size(1973) Friedman described the illusions of a global modern world that has plenty to sustain everybody.
Sketch from a Manual depicting the actual ‘live’ contacts one individual may be liaising in general, Yona Friedman, 1970s
He expanded on the problem of how adequate communication is limited by the amount of people that take part in it. He called this ‘critical group size’.
Friedman saw this inability to convey messages in equality and thus to communicate successfully, as the major impediment to global communication necessary for humanity to prosper worldwide. He stated that this will eventually lead to the crumbling of large organizations leading to communities to become more self sufficient. He sees a chance for a better quality of life worldwide when society would work within the limits of the critical group size.
In order for individuals and communities to be more self sufficient, simple technology was deemed to be indispensable to survive. All of these topics are explained in slide shows in Balkis Productions.
Sub themes
–Self reliance
–Simple technology