Back in the day, ethics separated designers from commercial artists. That line is no longer there. Now everybody’s Britney Spears. Cashing in the fat cheques. But not for long.
Glaser once noted that looking for ethics in the field of design is like looking for cabbage in a butcher’s shop. And if you’re the kind of person who looks for cabbage for a living, yes, that make sense.
But clients, for instance, they hate cabbage. Figuratively, of course. All they want is grilled cheese, fries and a large coke. And can you blame them.
Nowadays, it seems butchers are to cabbage what designers are to ethics. And here’s why:
- Ethics are obsolete in the overpopulated, self-indulging field of design.
- Promoting design ethics is like preaching to ministrants. They will listen to you, nod in approval, then go right back to child mutilation.
What do they mean by ethics?
The difference between ethics and morals is a simple and important one. Ethics imply a social system (what they judge you by), while morals relate to your personal character (what you judge yourself by). So, basically, ethics are applied morals.
The reason why this is important is that, on some level, all designers are moral beings. Except folks at Envato, maybe.
So, while morally everything’s ok, even when you steal a WordPress theme (because you and your family were starving), ethically they’ll find out about it, sooner or later.
Nowhere to go but down
Back to Glaser. In a Metropolis magazine article, he lists some of the answers to the question: why is hell filled with designers?
Among the things that will apparently ensure your admission to the underworld:
- inaccurate depictions of a product, company or service (for instance, when you fail to expose a flaw in a product);
- promoting a company or a product you wouldn’t normally approve of;
- designing an ʻad for a product whose frequent use could result in the user’s deathʼ (read this last one a couple of times over).
Now, while not all designers are hunger artists, most of them would agree that taking on ethically objectionable work is not something you do without… covering your bases.
The gist of this widely accepted approach is that designers are social architects of sorts. That they are responsible for representing truth, order and beauty.
One might even say the primary concern of design should be ethics.
In reality, things are going from bad to… irrelevant. Not only have milestones like the First Things First Manifesto become annoying. They’re plain useless. Laughable. Just look around.
From the First Things First Manifesto: “Commercial work has always paid the bills, but many graphic designers have now let it become, in large measure, what graphic designers do. ”
Today, there’s no ‘large measure’ anymore. Commercial work is what graphic designers do. And it’s precisely commercial work that will pave the way for computer programs, doing what designers do.
OK, you’re not a freelance designer. These days you’re an independent contractor. But ethics is still dead and buried in the backyard. And too scared to claw its way back up.
Think of it like this. The next generation of designers won’t even miss ethics. Just like this generation doesn’t miss typesetting.
As simple as that.
Why is this happening to me?
Ah, designers: they will lie, steal and cheat their way through anything.
Starting with 4th grade math to glory and riches. Name one designer who hasn’t, and I’ll show you a charlatan.
And then they act all surprised when someone comes up with a computer program that can design cooler looking web sites. Or simply crowdspring logo design jobs.
“Wait a minute, this is not like… regular cheating, when you take shortcuts because you hate algebra. This is cheating… progress.” Yes, it is. And you willed it on.
They say the piano doesn’t make the music.
Meaning: ‘don’t worry, we have a human operating the machine at all times.’ (Not Deep Blue, though. It trashed Kasparov in that chess match a back in ’97 all on its own.)
So, OK, the piano may not make the music, but who listens to concertos anymore?
The point is: designers won’t be around forever. And ethics is just another casualty in the war between man and machine.
Nobody complained when amateurs, cheap technology or the internet took over the porn industry.
It’s the same with design.
With this kind of freedom, who would need to go out to the store and actually spend money on a DVD?
There’s ethics… and then there’s deadwood
Sure, AIGA has some pretty crisp professional standards. And, of course, any other design association has something along the lines of ‘play nice.’
These standards make reference to the designer’s responsibility to clients, fellow members, and the public (though ‘the public’ is a last minute addition). But not everyone is part of AIGA. Not everyone defines professional standards by paying membership fees to a club.
In a world where crowdsourcing prospers, and where there are no guardians, ethics is just a commodity. The way deadwood can be a commodity.
You say designers can rally together and fight this cancer? Imagine this first:
- it’s winter;
- you’re driving with three strangers in your car;
- before long, you see a sign that says: ‘Slippery road ahead’.
Sure, it’s easy enough if all four of you get out of the car, get the snow chains on, and safely continue your journey.
But did all of you get out of the car for a ‘Careful, spec work will seriously damage your reputation and income’ sign?
Will you get out for something far less important than that?
What do you think?
Is ethics a topic best served cold? Who influences how designers see the world? And where do you draw the line?
Your comments and thoughts are appreciated!
Cabbage, ethics and design
Back in the day, ethics separated designers from commercial artists. That line is no longer there. Now everybody’s Britney Spears. Cashing in the fat cheques. But not for long.
Glaser once noted that looking for ethics in the field of design is like looking for cabbage in a butcher’s shop. And if you’re the kind of person who looks for cabbage for a living, yes, that make sense.
But clients, for instance, they hate cabbage. Figuratively, of course. All they want is grilled cheese, fries and a large coke. And can you blame them.
Nowadays, it seems butchers are to cabbage what designers are to ethics. And here’s why:
What do they mean by ethics?
The difference between ethics and morals is a simple and important one. Ethics imply a social system (what they judge you by), while morals relate to your personal character (what you judge yourself by). So, basically, ethics are applied morals.
The reason why this is important is that, on some level, all designers are moral beings. Except folks at Envato, maybe.
So, while morally everything’s ok, even when you steal a WordPress theme (because you and your family were starving), ethically they’ll find out about it, sooner or later.
Nowhere to go but down
Back to Glaser. In a Metropolis magazine article, he lists some of the answers to the question: why is hell filled with designers?
Among the things that will apparently ensure your admission to the underworld:
Now, while not all designers are hunger artists, most of them would agree that taking on ethically objectionable work is not something you do without… covering your bases.
The gist of this widely accepted approach is that designers are social architects of sorts. That they are responsible for representing truth, order and beauty.
One might even say the primary concern of design should be ethics.
In reality, things are going from bad to… irrelevant. Not only have milestones like the First Things First Manifesto become annoying. They’re plain useless. Laughable. Just look around.
From the First Things First Manifesto: “Commercial work has always paid the bills, but many graphic designers have now let it become, in large measure, what graphic designers do. ”
Today, there’s no ‘large measure’ anymore. Commercial work is what graphic designers do. And it’s precisely commercial work that will pave the way for computer programs, doing what designers do.
OK, you’re not a freelance designer. These days you’re an independent contractor. But ethics is still dead and buried in the backyard. And too scared to claw its way back up.
Think of it like this. The next generation of designers won’t even miss ethics. Just like this generation doesn’t miss typesetting.
As simple as that.
Why is this happening to me?
Ah, designers: they will lie, steal and cheat their way through anything.
Starting with 4th grade math to glory and riches. Name one designer who hasn’t, and I’ll show you a charlatan.
And then they act all surprised when someone comes up with a computer program that can design cooler looking web sites. Or simply crowdspring logo design jobs.
“Wait a minute, this is not like… regular cheating, when you take shortcuts because you hate algebra. This is cheating… progress.” Yes, it is. And you willed it on.
They say the piano doesn’t make the music.
Meaning: ‘don’t worry, we have a human operating the machine at all times.’ (Not Deep Blue, though. It trashed Kasparov in that chess match a back in ’97 all on its own.)
So, OK, the piano may not make the music, but who listens to concertos anymore?
The point is: designers won’t be around forever. And ethics is just another casualty in the war between man and machine.
Nobody complained when amateurs, cheap technology or the internet took over the porn industry.
It’s the same with design.
With this kind of freedom, who would need to go out to the store and actually spend money on a DVD?
There’s ethics… and then there’s deadwood
Sure, AIGA has some pretty crisp professional standards. And, of course, any other design association has something along the lines of ‘play nice.’
These standards make reference to the designer’s responsibility to clients, fellow members, and the public (though ‘the public’ is a last minute addition). But not everyone is part of AIGA. Not everyone defines professional standards by paying membership fees to a club.
In a world where crowdsourcing prospers, and where there are no guardians, ethics is just a commodity. The way deadwood can be a commodity.
You say designers can rally together and fight this cancer? Imagine this first:
Sure, it’s easy enough if all four of you get out of the car, get the snow chains on, and safely continue your journey.
But did all of you get out of the car for a ‘Careful, spec work will seriously damage your reputation and income’ sign?
Will you get out for something far less important than that?
What do you think?
Is ethics a topic best served cold? Who influences how designers see the world? And where do you draw the line?
Your comments and thoughts are appreciated!