a rant against helvetica
"All that we do, almost all the time, is design, for design is basic to all human activity. The planning and patterning of any act toward a desired, foreseeable end constitutes the design process.” -Victor Papanek
As a graphic designer, I’m critical of graphic designers. In fact, I’m critical of the contemporary design community in general. We are, unfortunately, responsible for the fact that “graphic design” has become a synonym for “branding.” Branding is the most obvious, superficial, profit-driven side of the things, but there’s more to the profession than the creation of a logo in Helvetica, thank you very much. Where’s the creativity in that?
The problem I have with graphic designers today is that they’ve decided to be the champions of stylized blandness. If you’re familiar with the term “normcore” you’ll know exactly what I mean. I read that normcore, aka dressing like an uncle in the 90’s on purpose, is the “fashion equivalent of only ever putting butter on your bagel.” Sure, it gets the job done, but why would you limit yourself to butter when you have marmalade, cream cheese, nutella for Christ’s sake? This scenario also plays out in graphic design with the use of Helvetica.
But, what is graphic design? If I had to give a definition I would say it’s the practice of using text, image, and composition to create systems that better help us understand content. Fonts (also known as typefaces) such as Helvetica, are central to the readability and legibility of finished pieces.
But, as David Carson says, “one should not mistake legibility for communication.”
The fact that you’re increasing the legibility of a word doesn’t mean that its form is effectively transmitting an idea. Successful graphic design adds another layer to that which is already expressed in text or data. Otherwise, we’d all be walking around with essays printed on our t-shirts, and every single academic paper would be typed in Comic Sans. Good luck with that. Would you take me seriously if I was communicating like this?
Instagram and Facebook, aka a cheap visual buffet, have convinced us that we crave simple, iceberg lettuce. Yes, Helvetica is the typographic equivalent of iceberg lettuce. Maybe kale. Who’s responsible for this? Really, I’m asking. I’m not sure. Is it the Swiss Modernists who introduced Helvetica to the typeface catalog? Or is it Steve Jobs, who is the embodiment of less is more in terms of design? I’m of the opinion that planned obsolescence is ruining everybody’s swag, and the main reason why graphic designers forget to work with a sense of purpose is because their art is only intended to be on display for a few years at a time. Massimo Vignelli, who designed the American Airlines logo used for more than fifty years, calls planned obsolescence a social crime. He also designed the typeface for the New York subway system. Now talk to me about purpose.
Us graphic designers, we’ve become stupid. Yes, plain-old stupid. Mesmerized by the idea that less is more, that white type on a black background will change the world. We’ve predicated our hopes and dreams on how shit looks and not on how it works, or if it works. Great design can have a positive effect on someone’s life, and it shouldn’t just embody their wants. A few years ago I interned at a design start-up that was creating an entire interface for a game about a piece of toast being chased by a toaster. Thumbs up for that contribution to society, designers. I’m so proud.
If you’re smart, you’ll put something out into the world that will make it a better place for everyone. Don’t just take pretty pictures, plagiarize silly quotes, or use a typeface that isn’t saying anything in particular. If you design for the greater good, you design with purpose. Please designers, design with a purpose.
