"If I were a design student I'd drop design and go and do something more relevant to surviving climate change - something practical" This is some advice I received while asking around for input on my graduate design project. Some advice I decided not to take, and in fact some advice that probably fuelled my want to be a designer even more. Design has some serious power behind it. If we need people to start getting on board a 'save the Earth' train then design is going to be the way to do it. A large percentage of our buying decisions are actually made subconsciously, not consciously. This is due to the power of branding and advertising, which can be done so well in fact that people believe it doesn't affect them. Unfortunately thats exactly what advertising wants you to believe, and it works. As a social creative activist I understand this power isn't always used for good, but that's exactly what I'm trying to turn around. We can influence people in a good way, we can use our power as super heroes rather than villains and the only way to make a big difference is to have a truck load of optimism and passion. Dropping design to learn farming just screams pessimism to me. Of course we need farmers and other practical trades, but in terms of dropping my own dreams and creative spirit to learn how to fend for myself? I know a lot more can be done in my field, and I hope you do too. |