Summary 2
Design has a vital role in society today. It can hugely positively affect the economy and the day-to-day life of the people in our world. However, the design also can have significant adverse effects on society. Irresponsible designers can make choices that contribute to the decline of our world’s environment, damage people’s health, culture, and happiness, and increase pricing, leading to the consumer or workers needing to compensate. The triple bottom line can sum all of this up, “it refers to the pursuit of growth balanced with social, ecological, and economic needs (or people, planet, and profit).” (Nourish Ethic, p.2) Advertising also significantly affects society and what is considered acceptable in terms of what we are presenting. Recognizing who and where advertising is representing is essential because that tends to make ads inappropriate. How do designers stop the cycle of harmful or indecent ads? Well, “The solution is to think, to be aware, to debate.” (Berman, p. 82). Marketing and corporations are changing how the people in society view the world. Designers have the power to make that change for the better. The best way for designers to do this is to be aware of their work and who they are doing it for. Designers need to pay the bills, so working for big companies tends to be the go-to, but it is essential to be aware of the ethics and practices that the company has. James Cartwright mentions Hatten’s views on a designer’s responsibility when it comes to ethical design, and he says, ‘“While I feel it’s a bit idealistic to strive for only fulfilling deeper objectives in my career,” says Hattam, “that is eventually my goal—to use the skills I’m honing now to end up at an agency or in-house team that is progressive, talented, and socially conscious—hopefully one which also embraces the arts.”’ Designers need to be aware and responsible. Designing ethically could improve many aspects of our world, whereas careless design choices could be detrimental.
Design's Dual Impact: Design has the power to positively influence society's economy and daily life, but it can also have negative effects when done irresponsibly.
Triple Bottom Line: The triple bottom line approach (people, planet, profit) provides a framework for balanced and ethical design.
Advertising's Role: Designers must be mindful of who and what their ads represent to avoid creating inappropriate content.
Responsibility in Design: Designers can break the cycle of harmful ads through critical thinking, awareness, and ethical considerations.
Ethical Design: Designers should prioritise socially conscious design, considering the ethics of their clients and striving for positive societal impact.
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