The point Berman used on page 13, "What could become possible if designers used their power to influence choices and beliefs in a positive and sustainable way? Imagine: what if we didn't just do good design.. we did good?", is a very strong statement. We have the power to persuade people for the better. An example Berman used was about the cigarette company's directing their ads to our younger generation in order to influence them in smoking from teen years until the end of their life. There comes a point where you have to think, is this taking it to far? To advertise a product that is so unhealthy to an age that it is illegal to take action in what they are trying to sell.
Berman brings up many fascinating points just in these first few chapters. He gives a whole new perspective to me about design and has given me a better outlook on what I can do with design. I was also inspired by the quote Berman chose to use on the bottom of page 19:
“There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew.”
HERBERT “MARSHALL” MCLUHAN (1911–1980)
'No passengers- We are all crew!'... I love it! There is no riding along and you must all work together to accomplish the better things in life on Earth.
I like how he mentions that the FDA has a regualation to what they inform consumers, but the government has nothing like that for things like ballots and official documents. Maybe if we had well deisgned documents that made information that was pertinent in the interest of the viewer, we would have less problems and a better world.
ReplyDeleteI know in Canada, cigarette packages are required to have a label in bold words that cites some disgusting consequence of smoking. I sometimes think things like this would be regulated.