Thinking about ideas I have that will change the world, I can’t help but think of some of the ideas I have that I personally feel very strongly about.  My first idea is to create a website about random acts of kindness. This could be any act, for anyone or anything. From cleaning someone’s house, to walking the elderly neighbor’s dog, to picking up someone’s keys they dropped.  This site would give ideas from the very largest to the very smallest acts that people could do for one another at any point in time. There could be different categories of random acts, such as those acts that aren’t directed toward people, but random acts of kindness for animals, wildlife, endangered species, preserving our national parks, or caring for the environment. People could submit blogs about acts that they did, or post new ideas for random acts. A second idea for a world-changing website is to bring awareness to relatively new, popular sport for mass murderers and psychopaths around the world.  This is the sport of school shootings. Some may not like to admit this, but a school is the perfect haven for these vigilantes to take out mass amounts of people in very short time, completely unchecked.  Yes, there are police and any precinct will brag about having a 29 second response time. Yes, that is most impressive and very fast.  Unfortunately, the problem is that it is about 27 seconds too late.  In the first 2 seconds of a shooting, countless people could be dead or injured.  Conclusion: police and emergency personnel are not the answer in stopping a mass shooting, though they do a great job of cleaning them up.  A security measure needs to be allowed that is effective anywhere at any point in time, and I don’t mean metal detectors set up at every door.  The security measure is really quite simple, and is already set in place in most parts of the country, as well as a couple of schools.  This is to allow responsible, licensed citizens, and students the ability to carry a concealed weapon anywhere at anytime in these facilities.  The security is to allow the ability of the very people that use these schools the freedom to choose to protect themselves and everyone else around them.  This is the only chance to stop a killer that has no regard to human life at any given time.  So therefore, this site would be dedicated to promoting this for the safety of everyone on college campuses, schools, and any place prohibiting the concealment of firearms.  This site would push for the change of legislation to change these laws and spread this message.             

If you think that I went on a mad rant about this second option, you’re right.  This is something that I feel strong about, and I personally feel “cheated by the system” that these laws are in place while all these school, and public shootings continue day after day, and the government that is supposed to work FOR the people refuses to let us protect ourselves in the most vital places.  Best of all, we are continuously reminded that our criminal justice system has NO LEGAL RIGHT to personal protection of anyone. All they are there for is to enforce the law.  Where does that leave us? I would say that we are left up to our own devices.  Give me your thoughts on these website ideas, as well as any thoughts or opinions you may have on these issues as well if you wish!  

In the book titled Becoming a Digital Designer by Steven Heller and David Womack, the two authors engage in a discussion about the digital revolution.  In the selection, Womack is asking the majority of the questions, while Heller responds with his thoughts.

            The conversation begins with an overall question about the revolution and its impact of the graphic design industry.  Womack asks Heller what he thinks is different or has been lost due to the digital revolution.  Heller responds saying he feels that the digital revolution has cost the design industry its tradition.

            In my experience, graphic design is an industry that consists of many different types of components, knowledge, creative and critical thinking that makes it what it is.  However, outside of the job aspect of it, there is an entire subculture.  In the case of graphic design, the invention of the computer and the “digital way”, it has taken away the roots of graphic design.

            Heller goes on to talk about how the “beauty” of graphic design has been altered. Therefore, new ways of judging what is “good” and “bad” design have come about.  In the digital world, pixels create all graphics, images, and text that are seen.  In traditional graphic design, one could appreciate the interplay between the different elements of the design.  The way the different materials in the composition are working together, overlap, and play off of each other.  This physical interplay of materials and elements in a design create a unique personality for the composition that adds to the effectiveness and “beauty” of the piece.  This “beauty” is difficult to duplicate any other way.  However, with digital design on the scene, different colored pixels are used to create the illusion of layered elements and textures.  The more time goes on, the better technology becomes, and the better these effects and illusions become.  Even still, all of the amazing graphics and color reproductions created by cutting edge LCD screens just don’t do justice for some seasoned designers.

            Heller reports that it is possible for students and designers to control and manage their work now better than ever before.  So many tools are now literally at their fingertips, which in the past were only available to highly trained experts.  He talks about a do-it-yourself quality that now exists.  Because of this, it is also possible now for any amateur to get a hold of these tools and theoretically produce the same type of work today’s designers produce.  Thankfully, teachers and employers are gaining a much sharper eye for good design as well.  They are more able to see past the flashy bells and whistles do-it-yourselfers tend to create, and see who really has truly good design skill.

            Womack and Heller continue their conversation talking about what the designer’s work trend is beginning to be like.  Now the graphic designer is expected to not only work with digital design, but to create interactive designs.  In traditional designing, the designer controlled the environment and the experience the viewer experiences. It is now popular to create designs for the viewers to interact with.  At times, this involves the viewer taking control of the design and manipulating it the way they want.  In Heller’s mind, he thinks this is a scary thing.  In his mind, it would be like saying, “here is my best work, and now you take it and play with it any way you like.”

            Heller says his inspiration in terms of digital design is that it gives creative people the means to translate their ideas into reality better than ever before.

            Finally, Heller concludes with a question that states: “Do you think the digital savvy will have a rosy future, or will they simply be operators of new machines?”  I personally believe that as time goes on, the digital savvy will remain just as savvy as they always have.  However, as the digital technology becomes more and more familiar to the world, competition for good design will become more intense. Viewers may not know or understand why a design looks good or bad, but they will be able to say “I really like this for some reason” or “I really don’t care for this, but I don’t know why.”  If nothing else, good design will invoke these types of responses, and ultimately enhancing the intent of the design to convey messages, whether it be to promote a product, or create awareness.

            After reading this short conversation in his book, I look forward to learning more about the digital design world and what good sources like Heller have to offer in the subject.