response
this piece is something that hits a little too close to home, being that i considered dropping out of parsons over the anxiety that design is little more than a tool or toy for the wealthy which isn't what i wanted to devote my career to. i think a significant part of this problem is commercial design is essentially just an extension of business nowadays, something few can claim is saving the world either. velden's declaration at the end that designers should employ research, knowledge, and purpose in their designs is something i can agree wholeheartedly with. it has seemed to me that this can be the difference between design being frivolous or even harmful, and genuinely addressing an issue. relatedly, to the point of problem solving design, i think it's ok if design doesn't solve a problem as long as it engages with or identifies one.
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