Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.
—Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910)
22 June 2013
21 June 2013
Summer afternoon… summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.
—Henry James (1843-1916)
Happy Solstice, good people…
20 June 2013
Vintage workplace safety posters… from the Netherlands.
At some point last week this link crossed my desktop… a lovely collection of cautionary poster images (many more at the link).
To whoever sent me this link, apologies… let me know and I’ll give you source credit here.
19 June 2013
18 June 2013
I cannot help fearing that men may reach a point where they look on every new theory as a danger, every innovation as a toilsome trouble, every social advance as a first step toward revolution, and that they may absolutely refuse to move at all.
—Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859)
17 June 2013
Do Good Design… updated.
Do Good Design: How Designers Can Change The World
by David B. Berman
AIGA Design Press / New Riders (Peachpit)
A little over four years ago I reviewed David B. Berman’s important new book here on this blog. I was delighted today to receive an updated/reprint version of this honest, hard-hitting, book—together with a lovely note from David (Duv to his friends), who I have known and exchanged ideas re: design ethics with for well over 20 years.
Do Good Design rails against the consumptive excesses of the so-called “developed world” and urges designers to help steer a better course for our planet—before it’s too late. Delivered with in-your-face directness, it presents a strong argument regarding the inherent power of design to shape our world and takes on greed, excess, and the scheming tendencies of advertising and “targeted” visual communications. Full of pithy quotations, well illustrated (with wide-ranging examples of manipulative media and manufactured needs) and impressively annotated and cross-referenced, David combines his keen observation skills with courage to question the status quo, expressing his marathon call for positive change with passionate zeal. In his words, “the future of civilization is our common design project.”
Thanks Duv—keep up the “good” work of shaping a more equitable and sustainable future!
More info at dogoodbook.com.
16 June 2013
15 June 2013
Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure that you are not, in fact, simply surrounded by assholes.
—William Gibson (novelist, noir prophet)
14 June 2013
You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
—A. A. Milne (1882-1956)