"Intrinsic quality is the only real measure of good design."

"Many executives who spend time in a modern office at least eight hours a day may very well live in houses in which the latest audio equipment is hidden behind the doors of a Chippendale cabinet. [...] The preference is for the traditional setting."
I feel like I can deeply relate with Rand on this point. He goes on to say one of the most important things about design, "Good design is not based on nostalgia or trendiness. Intrinsic quality is the only real measure of good design. There is a reason for every element of the design, every color, font, image, line. If something is designed and created arbitrarily then it is bad design and REALLY BAD communication. I'm not going to lie, I love creating things that have to do with issues I face and images I am familiar with and find interesting, but I can't just go placing my vector cartoon characters on my friends graduation announcements.
I think this goes overlooked and we as designers and communicators need to understand that every little thing MUST make sense.