a manifesto for an emerging designers world
These pages are for any young designer who has concern for the current and future of their surrounding environment; ecologically, economically, socially, philosophically, culturally, professionally and creatively. The first step is to know that before you can change something you must first understand it. This book focusses on that first step. It opens up an often overlooked rhetoric of self-reflexivity of the designer. It challenges the reader to decide for themselves what type of designer they want to be. Do you want to make a living by being a catalyst of unsustainable consumer habits, or be a facilitator of a renewed purpose in design? Positive affirmations are throughout, guiding the direction of this manifesto, acting as conversation starters, teasers and provocations of interest and opinion.
The following content took months to source, collect, sort and collate - so that you don't have to. Hopefully it will challenge your current perceptions of your purpose as a designer, your understanding possibilities and opportunities in both areas. The deeper you delve into current design debate the more you will realize what a strange and exciting place design is in right now.
Keep your mind open, keep your mindfull.
Values and manifestos are an important guide to design decisions. But design defined only by limits and prohibitions will not flourish. Telling people to be good seldom works. To do things differently, we need to perceive things differently.
John Thakara.
