Fear of a future in which spirituality is sponsored

We are two disaffected student designers watching, with voyeuristic tendencies, a market saturated with design. We see a ‘prophetic’ industry in decline. An industry that is becoming an entanglement of violated needs and wants for every desire. We fear for our future within the industry.

How much longer will you require cloned ‘felt tip fairies’ like us before the consumer cries out for more (less)?

While we agree in part with Williamson and Hodgin’s letter (DW 16 May), we want the readers to know that there are wayward sheep within the flock. While student designers are not often known for their academic qualities, there are exceptions; we are two with vision and ulterior motives.

We are prepared to starve, as opposed to design another mobile phone or MP3 player. You see, we believe we’ve discovered where the smart money lies, the potential that sleeps beyond industrial design.

As we walk through the streets we are surrounded by images – how long before public parks are sponsored by Coca-Cola and the Government by Orange? Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is being filled by media – how long before the Hari Krishna movement is sponsored by Gillette? And is spirituality the next big seller?

Let’s talk about the ideology of the Post-Post-Postmodernist and really get excited about the big issues; our passions to change the world. In the words of big-breasted model Jordan, ‘bring it on’.

We believe we can add value to design, ignore us at your peril.

Amanda Nicholls and Richard Monaghan

Design for Industry

University of Northumbria

rkmonaghan@hotmail.com