That Whole AIGA Thing Really Is A Scandal

A few days ago (faux vacation always bleeds together, doesn't it) we informed you, our dear and newly active readers, of the latest graphic design world scandal: the changing of the AIGA name from acronym-ic sensicality to most boring ever. We asked for your thoughts. And we got them. From a one-liner: At the risk of sounding as trite as AIGA sounds mindless: "If it ain't broke..." to the thoroughly well-thought and -written (we're usurpable) essay from a loyal UnBeige reader: I am with you; it's absurd. As a designer and writer, it frustrates me. Letters matter. Acronyms are annoying enough without them being meaningless. Gee, let me just pick some letters I like and I'll tell you what they stand for in Pig Latin. No, wait, they actually mean something very significant in the secret club language of my camp meeting group but I can't tell you because we swore with blood that we would never reveal the code so you'll just have to either like the letters or not. Their changing their name to NOT mean anything represented by their initials, unfortunately, to me, makes me think they are just plain dumb. I do not like to think designers are dumb and I don't, in general, think they are. In fact, I think designers are very smart and analytical. But this is nonsensical. It's the worst of corporate America or corporate anywhere taking over logic. I am reminded of my favorite fairytale, The Emperor's New Clothes. Only this is the Emperor's New Acronym. In this story, everyone is afraid to tell the emperor, who thinks he's really smart, that his acronym actually means nothing. And then the little kid pipes up and says, "But Mr. Important Emperor Man, that acronym doesn't stand for anything." And the crowd gasps. And then, since fairytales can have happy endings, the crowd realizes that the down-to-earth, plain-speaking child is right and the bully emperor who spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on his Meaningless Acronym Symposium is an idiot and not to be listened to or followed. If this is the way so-called design leaders are going to think, I am going astray, that's for sure. Snap, zing, pop. But for something a little different: anyone out there gonna try and defend the Emperor? That we'd be interested in...

Fishbowl

That Whole AIGA Thing Really Is A Scandal

Eva

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Eva