caps lock

This review is for the book CAPS LOCK: How Capitalism Took Hold of Graphic Design, and How to Escape from It by Ruben Pater.

Through our time being raised in this capitalist centered economy and system, we’ve been taught to view the world through hierarchical eyes. Your job is equal to your status, your value is your wage. This meritocratic lifestyle, where those who “work hard” get the recognition they deserve and are paid accordingly, easily falls apart like a tower of playing cards at the slightest opposition.

But why do we look down on those who don’t feel particularly engaged in this hierarchy?

When we spout the ideals of freedom, we never explain the fine print of exactly what freedom means in our governments recognition of it. How very capitalistic of us. The anarchistic framework for freedom and action operates under the idea that freedom is exactly as stated, the right to do whatever you like with your life, at the one condition that you do not impose upon others freedoms.

This is how our system operates, to maintain our level of freedom and comfort in “first world” society, we impose upon and take away the freedom others could have. We underpay workers, drive children into forced labor, and build our corporations out of foundations established by the slave trade. As a part of the privileged in society, those who have the comfort of a warm home, the power of the internet, and the commodities of Starbucks and iPhones.

We are caught, bound within these systems, one would have to carry a book of corporate history into a supermarket to avoid brands that cause these conditions to people across the globe, and yet when they try they find brands without said connections, they walk out with next to nothing to stock their shelves. To boycott is near impossible, as humane or equitable alternatives simply cannot thrive on a market that drives prices down at the cost of others. The game was rigged from the start. This problem is and institutional, not individual one.

In a fantastically written analysis of design history, Pater points out the uncomfortable truth tying design in with historical oppression, colonialism, and imperialism behind the people who created the design profession. The most difficult part of this topic, however, is identifying which ways we can fight against this history while simultaneously acknowledging the damages done by the profession to the oppressed, especially as a priveleged person such as myself.

As said by some of the example studios featured in the book, to build an ethical design collective is very hard. One thing that Ruben Pater talks about a lot is the usage of the commons, a form of skill sharing/ trading in the shape of a community. I’ve always loved this idea, but struggle when thinking about how I could establish it in my own community. The “Tragedy of the Commons” is a term associated with how a highly individualistic society can incentivise a person to act on self-interest at the expense of others, which is how society functions in it’s entirety under the existing system of capitalism.

The real “tragedy of the commons” acts as a critique of capital rather than the commons itself. Many ideas flash through my mind, such as creating a collaborative and open to use workshop/ crafts place. Or, creating an online skill swap community, with emphasis on openly learning any skill. Another idea is create free online classes that teach subjects that I am familiar with that others are typically paywalled from learning, held up by a tipping system.

These many variations of a commons would allow me the freedom to teach and create a form of “antischool” or “free skool.” This has been on my mind a lot recently, and I’d love to dedicate time to this aim. I want to do something with purpose, a form of teaching, educational content, or usage of my design skills mixed with my ability to write and think within the design space. I’m glad I got to spend this time this semester fleshing and branching out on all the topics I’ve explored, as it most definitely helped me find a path forward for the rest of my masters.