Author: Felix Gauthier

My title, “Why Design Ruined My Vision of the World,” might mislead you into thinking that designing ruined my eyesight. It didn’t, but it’s a fair concern when you consider the countless hours spent sitting in front of a computer. In reality, this text is more about perception than actual vision. I’ll explain how learning about design has affected the way I perceive life, and how it’s now driving me mad!!

I can’t just look anymore!

Design is everywhere! It’s on billboards, cars, buildings, online, and the list goes on and on. For many people, it goes unnoticed, or at least people look at it simply, without overthinking it! When you start learning about design, you are taught that every design decision has a purpose and a goal. Then you learn to dissect those decisions to improve your own. You are taught to ask yourself some questions when looking at a form of design. Questions such as: What did this brand want to say by choosing this font? Why did they choose this colour palette? Why is this website made a certain way? Those are the kinds of questions that we are trained to ask ourselves when we analyze. But now, when I want to eat cereal, my design brain tries to figure out why Kellogg’s chose their font! Just let me eat my cereal!!

Design made me judgy

Learning about design also made me judge places and everyday things by how they were designed. I used to be able to go to restaurants and appreciate their aesthetic. Now when I go to a restaurant, my eye twitches at the sight of a menu with too many typefaces. You really start to understand why good design matters when you learn more about it. A clear design that’s easy to understand and communicates the right vibe is essential. A bad design, one that looks cheap, illegible, outdated, and communicates the wrong message, can affect credibility and appeal. That’s why, sometimes, I make decisions in my everyday life, such as which café I’m going to or which clothing stores I walk into, depending on their design. I even judge the fonts that people choose for their Instagram stories. I really became insufferable!!

I’m always on guard

I lost my serenity. When I first started my graphic and web design program, I started noticing that I’m ALWAYS noticing! The world became a mood board, a huge open-world inspiration, and without voluntarily trying, I started collecting and analyzing visuals. When driving, I criticize the logos on semi-trucks, or when walking downtown, I will gather textures from tables and walls. I also started spending WAY more time on Pinterest, and not even voluntarily. It’s like my brain is constantly craving some inspiration and looking for new ideas. Now I’m always on guard! And I am sure that I’m not the only designer who’s always curating my surroundings.

In conclusion (I was lying)

I was lying! If you hadn’t noticed by that point, I was being mostly sarcastic in my arguments. All those reasons why design ruined my vision of the world were pretty much non-issues. Design never RUINED my perspective; it just CHANGED it! And for the better! Learning about design opened up a new world to me. So yes, now everywhere I look, I see design. But what I’m seeing is all the work and thought that went into those design decisions. The world became a much more thought-out place, and it makes it so much more interesting. I also didn’t actually become an insufferable, judgy person. I’m just more aware of why good design and communication matter. Additionally, becoming more aware hasn’t made me lose my serenity. The world has just turned into a much more entertaining place, one that’s worth giving my attention to!