Are Culture, Art and Design better ways to change society?

How does society change? Does our cultural context change society? Does art change society? Do design and technology change society? Can small groups of people change things or are mass movements required? Does new knowledge and understanding change society? Does everything that each of us do change society? In this discussion we will explore less widely considered methods of engaging social change. We will compare and contrast these methods of societal change with the more commonly considered ones such as fame, wealth, power, and politics.

My most recent instigation for considering the potential for the arts and culture to change society was spurred by watching this intriguing 11 minute video of Doris Sommer entitled "Cultural Agents All" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8jNDXC_hhU). I have also been inspired by these two quotes:

"You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete." --- R. Buckminster Fuller "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." --- Margaret Mead