After seven semesters in a design course with some classes with good teachers – and some quite questionable, those who could have endless posts about “how not to teach design” – and have studied at a federal university, with people of different ages and cultural backgrounds besides being nearly out of college, I thought I would know to answer the title question of this post.

Realize that I am not referring to the current teaching, but study. Focus with great emphasis on the second ‘cause I believe that college is just one of all possibilites and chances to learn. Regardless of who claims the teacher (good or bad), it is the student, the aspirant, the future professional that have to question applications and reasons. Right?

How naive I am! After only three and a half years of college, I realize now that the profile of those who come into the world of design has changed at an crazy velocity. With this sudden change of desires and interests, also change the reflexes of a profession relatively “new ” (at least in terms of knowledge and name recognition) to our society.

However, we should look at this change as positive and be proud, right? I record here my doubts. I feel that the more “design” seems obvious, transparent and integral to daily life, less students make questions.They don’t seek, don’t discuss, don’t argue and seems like don’t think. It is a neverending “more of the same”.

Is it a lack of doubt that makes up this new profile as more indulgent and full of itself? “Contemporary art is undergoing a crisis of legitimization. […] The current artists are accused of bowing to carelessness, to produce anything, to favor its own reputation at the expense of media creation, “wrote Marc Jimezes in his book titled”What is Aesthetics? “. Has come the time to question more important points than “to be or not to be” the design in relation to art, has come the time to come to an end of the placebo effect that we are accustomed.

If it is assumed that the degree of consciousness is given by the context in which we live, how to find out what is draining the brains of students on a massive scale? I propose here the slowdown. Luli Radfahrer once said that “our playlist is more important than the ipod, since all have ipod”.

Based on this, we need to understand that criticism can take us much further than “ok, that’s fine” of today, where people are afraid to opine honestly. We must learn to look at our work and recognize what can be improved. The more we suffer, the more we get involved. Like a bad soccer team!

It is high time the students leave their computers and go back to the libraries, to the streets and wherever else they can immerse themself in what is outside their own comfort zone. Do not forget that creativity is based on knowledge.

[It’s good to say that my opinion is based in what I’m seeing here in Brazil. I would be glad to know how and what you, around the world, feels and think about it. Tell us how is the study of design in your place!]

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Did you like the illustration of the post? Congratulate Dan Krall!