Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Ethics in Design - Christopher

The Ten Commandments to ME as a Designer.

  • Learning
  • My own morals
  • Original - Copyright
  • Innovative
  • Environmentally educated
  • Prejudice FREE
  • Slavery & Child Labour FREE
  • Animal Cruelty FREE
  • Culturally open and adept
  • "Evil" Multinational Corporations
Learning to me would be one of the most important ethic to value as a designer. To be able to continually adapt to new and old methods of design whilst keeping my own spin on my own work. The world of design can only offer me more and more the deeper I research the more I will learn.

My own morals may not always be those of other designers. How I look at aspects of the world and issues may very well affect my designs. People may see authority figures, political figures and society as a whole different to me. It is important to each person the role that these figures play and where they stand with their own ethics.

Original thinking is essential to be even be considered as a designer. Also important if you wish to keep a clean profile when it comes to copyright laws and plagiarism crimes. The best ideas are those that are original.

Innovative ideas combined with original thinking is important if you wish to succeed in your own eyes.

Environmentally sustainable development is an important issue to myself and to keep credibility amongst people that care for the environment. So by keeping a strict plan to stay away from helping companies that support detrimentally affecting the environment to make money will keep me closer to my own ethics as a designer. Think Globally Act Locally.

Prejudice is something that I as a person detest! Whether racism, sexism or speciesism etc. I will never design anything with the intent to enforce a negative stereotype on any particular person or ethically contribution to the underlying prejudice that plagues our society.

Supporting or helping corporations or people that are involved with slavery and/or child labour as a means to increase productivity and cash flow in there business in my eyes is so wrong. So as apart of my ethical value I will not design for or support such companies.

A very important moral I find myself attached to is companies who support or adapt animal cruelty as a characteristic. This ties into the prejudice side also. Speciesism is one of the most "swept under the carpet" issues, less now though in a more avid-learned society. I will never support or have any involvement with companies that use or support animal cruelty/testing. They can burn.

As a designer I will continually attempt in keeping my designs fresh and original. By staying open and up to date to/with all cultural aspects that the world has to offer I can learn and improve as a designer.

"Evil" Multi-national corporations is a interesting aspect of ethics in design. I believe that they can be defined as "evil" through certain means. All ethics (commandments) involving moral choices I have mentioned above would clarify the classification of an "evil" corporation. It's best not to sell out to these companies, stay punx! ha

As a designer I vow to myself to keep an open mind on all issues/moral/immoral and learning and to stay open that people and corporations are able to change.

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3 comments:

  1. thedreamersbeaconMarch 6, 2009 at 4:40 AM

    Your assertion of 'Prejudice Free' is such a timely one, Chris, I need to add that to my list. Can I plagiarise it??

    In this age of global multimedia propoganda, racial stereotyping and prejudice is so often the currency to buy fear and hatred.

    Good call.

    ReplyDelete
  2. christopherMarch 8, 2009 at 4:23 AM

    sure thing

    ReplyDelete
  3. stacyApril 11, 2009 at 5:31 PM

    awesome thoughtful post with worthwhile links

    ReplyDelete

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