Glocal.

It’s interesting to see everything blend together.  It’s when we are on point, always available even while sleeping, usually under some sort of time restraint or deadline, constantly writing emails, and checking social media updates, always in a state of … distraction… to be connected – when standardization derails variation and floods our attempts to connect, worldwide.  Designing and acting on a local level is the first step to extending ideas further, on a global level.  Ideation, trends, and innovative processes are often subject to local acceptance before a translation into deeper waters.  But is this possible?  Is it possible for design globalization to exist in a realistic manner? 

Culturally, our lives operate on a certain evolutionary tradition.  There are a handful of countries, including the U.S. and Japan that is pushing for globalization (positively & negatively) in attempts to monopolize economies.  However, in a number of third world countries, mass-production is just a day job or non-existent, and under the laws of a weak economy.  In these societies, when a mass produced product is purchased, it is what it is, and often times poorly built, or little resources to improve the functionality.  Perhaps, allowing for globalization with product decreases a cultures identity, resulting in generations lost to manufacturing.  The way we dissect our ways of living must be understood by others in order to extend a safer, more functionally stable proposition in this translation.  For instance, the facelift in Europe’s currency has had a huge impact on social learning, and questioning of who you are, who I am, who the person across the street (or, ocean) is.  Utilizing as many resources at ones fingertips is key to evolution, is key to connection with the world without sacrificing our diversity and individual contributions. 

What we must realize is that good design is functional first and simplicity in function is a basic need of humanity, “good is a known quality, forget about good,” says Bruce Mau, an influential Environmental Graphic Designer.  Alexander Popov was the inventor of the portable radio, a device that can be used for the same purpose from Los Angeles to Toronto, from Amsterdam to Sydney; it has successfully proved itself as a globalized product.  And there are definitely international standards of design, and we know that we operate on a “creature of habit” basis, so instead of attempting to “re-educate” the world on why this/that should be standard, why not instead focus on local language.  Why not combine global and local?  Throw out the worry’s and keep working towards what our species does best… evolution.

I'll confess, reality bites.

So, my television is off, and I do not mind, is that strange?  I’m staring out of my living room window wishing I were outside.  I would rather be outside running up a sweat right now, but my wonderful computer demands my attention; a deadline is a deadline is a deadline, and I can pretend that key strokes are therapeutic, right?  Here’s the thing, I would rather be outside, I would rather attend to deadlines, because the last thing I want to do is look at the power button on the television remote control. Once I do, it ZAPP’s me in! Poof!  Consequently disappointing my deadline, all reality is shot, and I have soaked up hours of mostly rubbish. 

I started thinking about reality versus REALITY.  If you are in front of a television, or can spot one in viewing range, take a look at what channel/show/commercial is being aired.  Determinism plays a role in guessing that the information and ideas being digested are half news and sports, and the other half media portrayals of reality banter and “do-it-yourself.”  Take the “do-it-yourself” broadcastings for instance, some are mediocre, some are intriguing, and the rest have shattered the reality of a number of professions—oh, one of them is design.  Acquiring complete creative control as entertainment is one thing, but calling yourself a professional designer and giving poor advice has led to disastrous road of the average American concluding: “This is all it takes? A trip to Home Depot?”  And, look, not everything is a misconception (in fact, Home Depot is one of the top five largest growing companies in the US), but when you are a person, such as myself or a licensed designer, watching channels make a mockery of a process that require education, research, licensing, and practicality, I would rather keep my television off rather than to gasp at mistake after mistake.  I understand, why America wants and craves the “do-it-yourself projects,” and a variety of what channels like HGTV puts out is stating purely:  this is an option, you want this, this is affordable, your neighbors have this, this is “green”(is it really?).  What the channel and Home Depot should do, is take it down a notch, and refuse to broadcast/sponsor projects that insult design professionals, instead hire a few more… a truck load more.

Perfection is arbitrary, and aside from entertainment, perfection is quite possibly one of the foundations that reality television attempts to accomplish.  When we decide to start taking things at face value and minimalize our wants versus our needs, maybe I’ll (and others) will be more inclined to turn on the television to discover the “good out there.”

The world is not flat it is round, or is it? I’ll let you know, I’m going for a run.