For this specific written response, I chose an article from the reading list called “Fuck content” and chose to build an inventory with the substance of the material. I started off by making a list of the important themes within the article and divided the content accordingly amongst the subcategories.
The cataloguing of different themes lead me to the realisation that Rock had used a lot of examples in his article to put forth his argument so I decided punch them under the same category. After clubbing similar categories to avoid repetition, these are the final list of categories that I ended up developing based on the substance:
1- Designers are wanna-be authors
2- The mis-interpretation of Designer as Author
3- Form-follows-content amongst designers
4- Goblet metaphor but as a design metaphor
5- Modern day obsession with content as a measure of good design
6- Examples
7- Designers are insecure
8- Storytelling, not story
9- Storytelling, not story
10- Form as a perpetually updating entity that influences the world
11- Examples
12- Form as a reflection of the world we live in
13- Form as a reflection of designers themselves
14- Form as an intermediary between the world and users
15- Design as a language
16- Form as a reflection of the world we live in
While building this inventory, I placed a lot of emphasis on observing how the medium and message aligned with each other. For instance, under the section of “Designers are Wanna-Be Authors”, Rock takes a critical look at the designers’ desire to be looked upon as authors, and not just mere manipulators of visuals. His point of view is reflected in his self-reflective style, blurring the line between the author’s voice and the designer’s role. The medium of his essay acts as a way to express the designers’ inner conflicts. I also found the use of examples to be a crucial part of Rock’s argument. Under the topic of “Design as storytelling, not story”, the central idea ties the message and medium closely together, suggesting that design should focus on “how” rather than “what.” Rock’s essay is itself a story told through style, rhythm, and structure. By not directly stating his argument and instead showing it through examples, he mirrors his own belief that form communicates as much as content.
To sum it up, the essay serves as both a critique and an example of the role of form in design. By organising the article into specific themes, I was able to understand how the medium of design (or writing, in this case) influences the interpretation of content. The essay’s structure supports his argument that, at the heart of it, design is about “storytelling, not story” (Rock, 2009), showcasing that design not only communicates through its content, but also as a consequence of its form.
Rock, M., 2009. Fuck Content. Available at: https://www.eyemagazine.com/opinion/article/fuck-content [Accessed 30 October 2024].
Leave a Reply