Let’s maximise how we interconnect ideas

If a tree falls in the forest is it being used for books?

I am not sure about reading Hegel and his headache-inducing disregard for punctuation. And school textbooks might be the most read, but that is because they are compulsory and ordered in bulk.

But I passionately agree with Quentin Newark’s belief (Private View, DW 19 January) that you can only change the world by knowing more about it and developing literary stamina. However, we can hardly blame young designers if they do not read.

They are not responsible for living in a “voceducational” culture where the only question asked over the past 20 years is, “what’s it for?”; with science that’s applied, not research; mechanical or statistical maths rather than pure and the barmy business studies boom.

By de-intellectualising design, and allowing technology to take over from words and ideas, we are at a disadvantage in an increasingly competitive industry.

Creativity comes from inspiration, and world-beating design has to combine depth of vision and commercial acumen.

While our machines are increasing in interconnectivity, we had better make sure that we maximise the way we interconnect with other people and their ideas.

Lin Arigho

lin@aricovert.co.uk