Michael Beirut’s article about how to become famous was a clever piece, and although his advice is likely accurate the fallback styles made my laugh. When in doubt make it big. If still in doubt, make it red. Each designer’s fallback style becomes their signature.
I enjoyed the chapter about Information Design and the Placebo Effect, even though I never really knew that the cross walk buttons don’t work. I mean I had my suspicions, but still. Its true that sometimes just the mere presence of something, without functionality, can be sufficient. Those crosswalk buttons give pedestrians a feeling of influence where there otherwise is none.
I read several more essays, and I enjoyed each. Maybe one of these days I’ll have time to sit down and read all 72, but for now they raised some interesting points on information design, graphic design in general, and approaching these subjects. The final essay “I am a Plagerist” was perhaps my favorite. They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery, but how close is too close? Where do you draw the line between using something as inspiration and copying it? These are issues we will all deal with in the years to come, no matter what direction we go with our degrees.