Operat ional Scept ic ism

A document that quest ions a general lack of quest ioning in society ; a cr i t ic ism of consumer cul ture and the damaging ef fects of adver t is ing.

A guide with the main aim of outlining the importance of questioning. Supporting a disbelief in modern media and the information they feed us on a daily basis. A criticism of education and the standardised testing employed worldwide, a paradigm that no longer works.

Advertising breeches our minds and the minds of our children, thousands of times a day. We are almost powerless to stop it, especially if you own a television set. We must begin to teach scepticism and the art of questioning the world. Why as we grow older do we forget to do this and begin to accept things for what they are?

Innovation and change derive from asking questions and wondering why life and the world we live in can’t be different. This is not a “call-to-arms” to change the world, however, as designers we must be aware of the medium we communicate in and the message that is then mediated to the public on behalf of our clients.

Ask yourself why? It will soon make sense.

Are we that complacent?

Surely not . To just accept l i fe for the way i t is , the systems and structures for the way they are. Surely not . We must f ind a way of p lay ing the system, l ike a game of chess, strategical ly. L iv ing to work, is not a way of l iv ing.

“Tel l us something we don’t know.” - Barbara Kruger

“Tel l us something we don’t know.” - Barbara Kruger

“Tel l us something we don’t know.” - Barbara Kruger

“Tel l us something we don’t know.” - Barbara Kruger

“Tel l us something we don’t know.” - Barbara Kruger

“Tel l us something we don’t know.” - Barbara Kruger

“Tel l us something we don’t know.” - Barbara Kruger

“Tel l us something we don’t know.” - Barbara Kruger

“Tel l us something we don’t know.” - Barbara Kruger

“Tel l us something we don’t know.” - Barbara Kruger

“What I am concerned with here is not a renewed belief in a totalised social alternative, but perhaps something more like a ‘utopian schizophrenia’, which by normative action attempts to create a public space within the late - capitalist conditions which helps to conquer the social erosion, without putting democracy at risk.”- Jan Van Toorn

“The radical subject demands the right to construct the situations in which he lives.”- Sadie Plant

Does not each man or women have their own hopes and desires? Can we not train our minds to work hard for the things we want to do, the day to day life worth getting out of bed for? Rather than settling for the life we are told to strive for or are diluted in to believing we can not do the things we want. Why must we all be standardised, all tested at the same stages and released to the work force by a factory that produces products for consumption and blind production?

Education is hurting

Money is evil and commodities will not solve our personal problems, they will not help you to feel better, you will feel no love from those items.

Radicalism and the ability to question: ‘why does this happen that way’ or ‘what happens if I do this’ are the practices that give birth to innovation.

Does not each man or women have their own hopes and desires? Can we not train our minds to work hard for the things we want to do, the day to day life worth getting out of bed for? Rather than settling for the life we are told to strive for or are diluted in to believing we can not do the things we want. Why must we all be standardised, all tested at the same stages and released to the work force by a factory that produces products for consumption and blind production?

Education is hurting

Money is evil and commodities will not solve our personal problems, they will not help you to feel better, you will feel no love from those items.

Radicalism and the ability to question: ‘why does this happen that way’ or ‘what happens if I do this’ are the practices that give birth to innovation.

Education is hurting

Money is evil and commodities will not solve our personal problems, they will not help you to feel better, you will feel no love from those items.

Radicalism and the ability to question: ‘why does this happen that way’ or ‘what happens if I do this’ are the practices that give birth to innovation.

Our society is one of turmoil

Daily we stew in a pot of incessant desire complimented by fictional happiness. We are terribly frightened of something that does not exist. We completely missed the probing second that placed this fear in our heads.

All pretending life and the things around us are just great; what a dysfunctional psyche we have.

Now pat yourself on the fucking back.

Our society is one of turmoil

Daily we stew in a pot of incessant desire complimented by fictional happiness. We are terribly frightened of something that does not exist. We completely missed the probing second that placed this fear in our heads.

All pretending life and the things around us are just great; what a dysfunctional psyche we have.

Now pat yourself on the fucking back.