Oldie but a goodie. The mighty Jake Welchert and myself were interviewed by Donovan Beery back in 2013 about design in the political arena. Barack Obama!
Sometimes, I’m at a loss for words
I’ll just let 1997 Hot Water Music have the floor:
To shed skin and begin
An intake that will make a difference in clear thinking
For conquering any fear that is thrown in direction
When at a weak point or time of suffering
The edge won’t quit if there is no giving in to what drags on
To be negative or seem wrong to live
To carry back home
With full intent and better sense
To recognize what is false and part with it
Knowing doubtless by instinct which triggers
Thought on how to grow
In soul without gold or praised lies
Which keep the sheep all right
With anything that seems safe and convenient
Poster: Dissent Is Patriotic
For love of country, for love of our communities and the people who live in them, we stand up and speak out. We talk back to nonsense. We hold the line against hate. We thoughtfully, and with reason, refute lies and other falsehoods by people who hold personal distain for truth.
After 9/11, as the country entered a dumb war, leftists and peace activists were labeled as cowards and unpatriotic. We weren’t then, we aren’t now. Dissent is a pillar of how America has progressed. Despite the American flaws so evident now under the current president, we can, of course, still correct.
Take a knee to protest racial inequality and systemic oppression. Take the streets to demand rights for all. We aren’t taking back anything, we’re taking the time to push forward. Dissent for the needs of others, dissent to defend truth, and dissent for the love of country.
What are you passionate about?
I was recently interviewed for The Passion Project, a self-motivated project by three curious design students (Sahm, Dana, and Sam) looking to discover what it means to “pursue your passions.” It was wonderful to meet them and participate in their really amazing project. They’ve interviewed folks in Portland, San Francisco, San Diego, Austin, Atlanta, Chicago, and now, Omaha. Then Denver, Boulder, and back home to Seattle. Check out their journey here. Following are a few questions I answered. Full video should be online later this year.
What does pursuing your passions look like today?
Making high-quality design available to the do-gooder community. And doing so with a trusted group of highly-talented collaborators who are friends before co-workers.
Have you ever been skeptical of or hesitant about your path?
Of course. Maybe I should get more structure. Maybe I should join a bigger shop. Maybe I should get the hell out of this conservative state. There have been moments in my career trajectory of seriously looking into Chicago, SF, Kansas City, NYC. But small (and medium) suits me, at least for now. I’m not all that interested in super competitive markets. At the end of the day, competing is fleeting. Collaborative and cooperative is the only way we’re all going to get through this gigantic mess we’ve made. Also, if I’m going to work 80 hours a week (which I don’t) I’d rather do it for myself. Our industry has a big problem with overwork and I’m in a very good position currently to constructively do something about trimming the hours down to get closer to 40 per week.
How would you define the relationship between designers and greater society?
In its infancy. Designers need to try to be more involved. No one is going to say, “hey, you should add your costs to this project.” But design/intention has such an important skill set that can be universally applied to a lot of things. Many people smarter than me have said this before. The design community as a whole should continue to advocate for an elevated role in society and individuallycontinue to be ethical, nuanced, and think critically.
What are you passionate about?
Aside from design/intention and putting things together: loud music, progressive politics, meaningful experiences, quality relationships, amazing food, craft beer. And building a life with my wife Katie.
More Protective of Time
That’s the thing, isn’t it? Time. The most important thing we have. Certainly more important than money or success. And just what are we going to choose to do with it? Do we even have a choice? I’d like to think so. So the question remains, what do we choose to do with it?
Poster: Climate of Denial
The current state of American climate policy is one of denial in the face of indisputable scientific fact.
It should’t come as a surprise. In the era of “alternative facts” and “fake news,” why would Americans rally around science? Why would we care about truth? Why would we listen to evidence or experts? The current trend lines are playing out as to be expected. Of course, we deny climate change. Of course, we believe what we want because it’s easier. Of course, we will not think hard because thinking is for snobs. Anything that contradicts our economic or religious outlooks, best to hunker down, ignore, and pretend. It’s our hyper individualism after all. We do what we want, to hell with the consequences.
Internet Fatigue
It is, in fact, insanely easy to do things on the Internet. And this Xennial knows what life was like before its speed and connectivity. When you had to always call people on the phone or show up in person. We tried to schedule a small tour in our punk band back in college, before the Internet was effortlessly used for such things. And it sucked. Mail, phone, mail, call. Hated it.
But, since it’s so easy to do things on the Internet, you just pile on more things. And now, with the pile so high, I just have an immense amount of Internet fatigue. Gotta book the car, find the hotels, schedule the windows consultation, pay the bills, add design work, buy the tickets, check the schedule, accept the invite, read the news, read the latest news, read the latest latest news, and, of course, Tweet and Tweet and Tweet and... Everything rolled into one...
Internet fatigue is very real. Boy is it real.
