This weeks itap lecture was all about ethics within graphic design . I did an A level in Psychology and it all came flooding back to me, particularly the bit about there’s never a right or wrong answer when talking about ethics. But what is ethics? Ethics is about morality, what is right and wrong within society? Here in lies the problem. There is no universal rules for right or wrong. These social norms and rules differ throughout the hundreds of countries, societies and religions of the world.
But how do ethics come into graphics? Anything you say or do, anything you create will probably strike a nerve with someone whilst at the same time inspiring someone else. Everyone’s personal beliefs depend on a lot of things, where they grew up, the views of their friends, the views of their families, their religion, the school they went to. Graphic design is a way of visually communicating something to someone, and in the way this lecture was talking about, advertising. The purpose of a poster, an advert, a billboard is to inform and invite someone to act upon a suggestion. Now depending on this persons beliefs, they may choose to accept this invitation, or decline it. This is the important point, the person we are addressing has a choice. If they decide this doesn’t agree with their principles, they may decline, if it doesn’t, they may accept. Although as designers, we have an obligation to take ethics into account, and most designers will act in an amoral position, if we want to make something a bit sketchy or controversial, what’s wrong with that? The audience can always decline if they wish.
Some designers stick by their views by declining work. For example, Sarah Coleman has declined jobs from a cigarette company and fast food chain McDonalds because she didn’t agree with the product or ethics of the business. Some designers won’t even let the audience make up their mind by just refusing point blank not to design for them.
But how do ethics come into graphics? Anything you say or do, anything you create will probably strike a nerve with someone whilst at the same time inspiring someone else. Everyone’s personal beliefs depend on a lot of things, where they grew up, the views of their friends, the views of their families, their religion, the school they went to. Graphic design is a way of visually communicating something to someone, and in the way this lecture was talking about, advertising. The purpose of a poster, an advert, a billboard is to inform and invite someone to act upon a suggestion. Now depending on this persons beliefs, they may choose to accept this invitation, or decline it. This is the important point, the person we are addressing has a choice. If they decide this doesn’t agree with their principles, they may decline, if it doesn’t, they may accept. Although as designers, we have an obligation to take ethics into account, and most designers will act in an amoral position, if we want to make something a bit sketchy or controversial, what’s wrong with that? The audience can always decline if they wish.
Some designers stick by their views by declining work. For example, Sarah Coleman has declined jobs from a cigarette company and fast food chain McDonalds because she didn’t agree with the product or ethics of the business. Some designers won’t even let the audience make up their mind by just refusing point blank not to design for them.
An example of a campaign that brings morality and ethics into question is something that Bal touched on in the lecture which was interesting. Joining the Army. Some people agree with the Army, some people don’t. The latter may argue that they are recruiting people to fight and kill, which in most societies, not just our own, is seen as immoral. However the former half will see it as defending the country, their honour, and their beliefs. However, surely if you are going to agree with second statement, people in this society should understand the intentions and actions of terrorists. I’m guessing if you went and asked Army personell they would not.
Another potentially touchy subject could be Plastic Surgery. So a young woman wants to get a boob job. Now then, if she was brought up in an atheist household with free spirited parents, I’m sure this girls outlook on this would be along the lines of ‘It’s my body, the technologies there, why shouldn’t I improve what I deem not good enough?’. However, what if this young woman had a strict Catholic upbringing with traditional parents, perhaps her outlook would be something more like ‘this is the body God gave me, I am happy with his decision, beauty is only skin deep’. As you can see it’s all about different countries thousands of miles away from each other, people in the same society, but different sectors can have vastly different views and opinion.
Personally I would like to think that I would be able to stand by my views and do something as honourable as Sarah Coleman. However. As a new designer, work may be hard to come by, Graphic Design for me isn’t about the money but I’ll have bills to pay, my mouth to feed so I may have to take some jobs that I might not agree with ethically, but aren’t we supposed to be amoral?
And isn’t someone else just going to do it anyway?
Personally I would like to think that I would be able to stand by my views and do something as honourable as Sarah Coleman. However. As a new designer, work may be hard to come by, Graphic Design for me isn’t about the money but I’ll have bills to pay, my mouth to feed so I may have to take some jobs that I might not agree with ethically, but aren’t we supposed to be amoral?
And isn’t someone else just going to do it anyway?
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