CM

1. i’m definitely saying a higher aesthetic bottom-line overall would increase our general happiness / sense of well being. i’m not saying it’ll necessary lead to the progression of the human race though. the crux of the piece is that we just feel better when things look better.

2. i am writing this piece from the point of view as a designer, because it was the ‘angry birds’ article that got me started. however this is a film website and i make films, so i am just trying to empathize with him by putting on my designer’s hat for this particular piece and illustrate that this is emblematic of a larger issue that people of all crafts can appreciate.

3. i am certainly not discounting any forces that allow creativity to happen. i am however arguing for those who may or may not be creative and simply have to suffer from being left with what’s at the bottom of the barrel on a daily basis.

4. i disagree that there’s enough beauty to balance out all the ugliness out there. i agree that the ugliness might make the beautiful seem more profound when it appears, however as we both know beauty comes in many different forms. this particular ugliness i’m addressing is a result of human beings simply not caring enough about who exactly their efforts (or lack of) are affecting.

5. if a politician had written this article it would be great, i agree. however this is just a call to arms from my point of view as a designer to others doing a similar thing, and those employing us, to realize the impact we have when we make certain decisions. sometimes people listen more to those doing the same work, than to those who are trying to win votes and whose motives are less clear.

6. my assertion has nothing to do with factory workers who are paid less or fired because the work is going overseas. it’s about a general understanding of the quality of work and who is affected by that. it’s about doing better work, if you have the work. if you don’t have the work (or do another kind of work), i’m simply asking that people who do, create a better world for you to live in.

7. i think it’s debatable that people decided mcdonalds was important. i’d say that once upon a time it was probably good and that people had a choice whether to eat it. however now it’s a corporation serving cheap bad food to people, backed by a vast advertising budget that spends millions each year trying to convince you otherwise. it being tasty and the cheapest option just makes it irresistible to those who are broke, but that also makes the company providing this irresponsible, when they know the quality could be better.

8. yes a lot of things are pretty great, however there are a few things out there that still need a lot of work. this article is simply addressing a couple of those things.

hope that makes sense and covers your points!

But all of this blaming and doomsday scenarios you’re suggesting are quite disagreeable. You seem to be complaining from your only your own perspective as a designer. You’re completely discounting all of the forces at work that allow creativity to happen.

With all the ugliness out there, there’s always enough beauty to balance it out. You seem to think it’s not enough, but society determines how much is truly necessary.

It also seems you’re trying to assert to readers how important your job is, and how you should be allowed to create at full capacity. I would be more excited by this article if I saw it was written by a politician, but once again, it’s just someone fighting for themselves.

Is your assertion more valid than some factory worker who is paid less because his job was shipped overseas? He’d love to work at full capacity too. Or what about a gunsmith who has to close shop when laws are changed. He’d probably argue that he’s doing a great service to humanity, and that building a gun is an important art form (which it might be!).

I also saw a 30 second commercial about how important McDonald’s was to my happiness. McDonald’s is going strong as a business, but that’s because, in the end, people decided it was important. People decided that they will sacrifice aesthetics and culinary artistry so they can feed themselves cheaply. Sometimes the forces of the world kick us in the nuts. It sucks, but lots of things are pretty great too.

I probably misunderstood everything you wrote.