In my design school the point of teaching is consumerism. It follows the same rules as all other public high school ideologies. Well, I don't know if they know that they are doing this but they are.
The foundation year of design school was actually really frustrating because we were asked to do things away from consumerism. But, the years that followed we only did advertising, logos, promote an idea, learn a technique to promote ideas of consumerism. At this point that foundation year seems so glorious and dreamy.
Damn! That kills me! If you believe it, I am now about to start my final semester and this is the point where I realize what I have been learning to do for the past 3 years - promoting consumerism!
I picked my final project in that same direction until Bhaijan tried to break down the idea and shot questions at me. Questions of conviction of the topic I chose. He asked me whether I knew that it was okay to make mistakes, to faulter, to not have the winning design. And I told him that I knew. Then why was I ambiguous?
Consumerism is taking the world nowhere. Just a trick to earn big bucks by the ones who know how to play you. Wasting all the resources of the world. And most people trying to teach me were clouded by the same idea. Idiots. Fuck consumerism. Let yourself grow when being creative. Don't think of the bloody target market. Don't design everything to the point of sale.
4 comments:
I agree about not being a slave to consumerism hence the point about not catering to a target 'market' is a fair point but designing for a target 'audience' or user is an important point, else there is the whole issue of whether what you're doing is art or is it design.
Dunno if that makes sense but i think that is an important argument to add to this thought process. Is what you are doing art or design.
Cheers,
akshay
I was hoping for someone to raise this point.
As students we should be given creative freedom in every possible way so that we discover ourselves in what we do. When I say don't do consumerism I don't say don't solve problems.
Target audience isn't the only thing that differentiates art and design. As a product designer I don't know how far you can go to ignore the consumerism bit but, I hope you understand when I say design for yourself.
You craft an idea and you can stand back and say 'for anyone who'd like this'. This can be done only as a student though and in sabbaticals as a professional designer.
We can't carry on like this for all our student life but for the major part of it exploration and experiment should be vital.
hmm... yeah that i agree with... I think though that there has to be a good balance in those projects.. i.e. a few of these and a few of those... even in the projects that 'promote consumerism' if the project is done consciously then it could be a very interesting outcome and learning experience..
Am I allowed to go to Walmart?
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