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Unit 11

Design of Things

(Chapters 4-7)

 

The group begins its tour. The purpose of this unit is to show how the physical environment  influences behavior.  It demonstrates that improvements in equipment design and effective use of the landscape can increase job success and enhance living conditions.

 

The group enters a well-lit passageway with flowers and exciting paintings.  When Frazier says that they will examine the paintings tomorrow, Burris slows his pace and begins to study them at length.

 

Burris finds himself separated from the others, seated on a bench next to a charming young woman.  For several minutes he is surrounded by pleasant, well-mannered people, perfectly can­did and lively.  They are not effusive but clearly affectionate.

 

He regards them as people from another world.  Not even certain they are speaking his lan­guage, suddenly he is afraid.  With effort, he separates himself and finds his touring group.

 

Upon his return, Burris is introduced to Mrs. Meyerson, who informs the visitors about her special interest, women's clothing.  She offers the group some tea, and at this point Frazier begins to discuss domestic engineering.  At Walden Two everyone is encouraged to have a constantly ex­perimental attitude, and improvements are sought in all spheres, including domestic life.

 

The tea service is not cups and saucers but rather tall, thin glasses.  Set into braided straw jackets with loops of string for handles, they can be carried like pails.  This domestic engineering pre­vents spilling, allows for an ample serving, and emphasizes odor and flavor.  The glasses are pleasant and very light.

 

The bread-and-butter dishes are also made of thin glass.  They are deep to prevent spilling, square for easy management, and with one edge rolled under to allow for a firm grip.

 

Frazier's explanations of domestic engineering evoke a mixed reaction.  Burris is interested and Castle contemptuous. (Chapter 4)

 

Burris is struck by the many beautiful women in Walden Two, but Frazier asserts that the founders tried to obtain a representative sample of people.  Personal appearance was not a factor in selection.  Instead, many of the women appear beautiful because they are not restricted by con­temporary styles.  Walden Two tastes are broader than those in contemporary American society.  Variety is encouraged, especially to accommodate individuals, and the chosen clothes often in­volve the least change, as in suits, sweaters, and skirts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11

While talking with his guests, Frazier is interrupted by a group of children going to a birthday party.  Seven-year-old Deborah is celebrating this event in the main dining room.  As Frazier ex­plains, at age seven children make the transition from their own dining facility to the main dining hall.

 

After the children have passed, Burris returns to their earlier conversation, noting that the men at Walden Two do not dress quite as well as the women.  Frazier agrees and explains that this difference is due to American culture in general, in which men typically have been less con­cerned about clothes.

 

Near the top of the Ladder, the children continue to celebrate Deborah's birthday.  Frazier stands aside, alone and unnoticed during the singing.  Burris notes on his face an expression of deep feeling and perhaps even a tear. (Chapter 5)

 

Approaching the dinning room, the guest stroll along “The Walk,” a large corridor running the length of the main building.  Burris remarks on the lack of crowds, and Frazier, in response, dis­cusses cultural engineering.  The staggered schedules for work, recreation, and dining in Walden Two allow the community to operate with minimal equipment and to enjoy a crowd-free environ­ment.

 

An unusually popular movie or other performance is repeated until everyone has had a chance to see it.  In the absence of advertising, the community's tastes vary, another reason for the lack of crowds.  The staggered schedule also avoids crowds at the dining halls, bathrooms, businesses, and entertainment.  With no institutional atmosphere, the days have flexibility and diversity. (Chapter 6)

 

Upon entering the dining hall, the group encounters more examples of domestic engineering. The dining rooms show a variety of styles, ranging from white-walled efficiency to a colorful Swedish room with a leisurely atmosphere.  Burris is offended by this hodgepodge design and Frazier explains that, as another bit of cultural engineering, it helps the children adapt more readily to the unusual interiors encountered outside the community.  Furthermore, Frazier adds vaguely, the development of aesthetic preferences occurs partly through associations with food.

 

Cultural engineering is evident throughout the dining hall.  Mail deliveries are conveniently made to the compartments holding cloth napkins for everyone; the cabinets for silverware and condiments are adjacent; dinner trays are elliptical in shape for better use of space, and they have declevities for utensils and cups.  These trays are also transparent, saving time for the dishwasher.

 

When Castle snorts at the latter detail, Frazier invites him to turn over a tray one thousand times, reminding his listeners that one of them would be compelled to do so in Walden Two if the trays were opaque.  In contemporary American life, restaurants and hotels may have some in­dustrialized housewifery, he points out, but it is generally not available to individual citizens.  Furthermore, established tastes prevent restaurants from using some of these devices, such as the glass trays. (Chapter 7)