Here’s the thing, I neither agree nor disagree 100% with the quote I posted earlier. But I think John’s response was just what I would hope for. I posted the quote because I thought it was thought-provoking, and clearly it did get several people thinking. I would encourage others to click through and read his post as it was eloquent, passionate and respectful.

I think the phrasing of the quote may be crude but what captured my attention was the difference in approach and purpose. Art would be created whether there was an audience or not. Art can exist for the artist alone and serve its purpose but design, by its nature, should be created with use, consumption or need of others in mind.

I spend a lot of time working with people designing presentations, for instance, and one of the challenges I often have with them is to get them to understand that the presentation isn’t about them. It’s about their audience. I could help them make “art”ful slides and handouts but if they don’t serve the audience they fail as good design.

Well again, I think this is cool. When people get in there and question ideas and even each other. We learn very little from those with whom we agree but a great deal from those with different, opposing and/or fresh ideas.

(Source: nolagrrlnyc)