Disclaimer: This is a completely personal post has nothing to do with design or branding.

An 18-year old Filipino construction worker saves 30 people in exchange for his own life. After anticipating a huge wave coming from the river, Muelmar Magallanes rushed through the whole neighborhood, one-by-one saving people until his energy left him and was swept away by the current.

I am deeply moved by the acts of Muelmar Magallanes who has been branded a hero. People all over the world are praising him because he sacrificed his life for others.

But were his acts that truly a sacrifice? Or were they acts of a higher value?

“Any action that a man undertakes for the benefit of those he loves is not a sacrifice if, in the hierarchy of his values, in the total context of the choices open to him, it achieves that which is of greatest personal (and rational) importance to him. ” —Ayn Rand

Rand, one of my favorite authors, has been a strong advocate of the thought that sacrifice is for the weak-willed. Before you react however, try to understand how her definition of sacrifice is different from what we commonly believe it to be.

“Sacrifice could be proper only for those who have nothing to sacrifice—no values, no standards, no judgment—those whose desires are irrational whims, blindly conceived and lightly surrendered. For a man of moral stature, whose desires are born of rational values, sacrifice is the surrender of the right to the wrong, of the good to the evil.”

To put it into proper context, let me paint two situations.

Situation 1: Juan is a 30 year old office worker who supports an alcoholic brother, a lazy sister and a good-for-nothing dad who gambles all day. 80% of what he earns goes to his family. At the end of the day, he consoles himself by saying that he’s “sacrificing” for a greater good.

The reason why Rand points out that sacrifice is an evil is because of situations like that of Juan. When a person sacrifices (in Juan’s situation) why does the person receiving the sacrifice have to do it at the expense of Juan? What right does Juan’s family have to say that they deserve the Juan’s hardwork more than Juan? Is it because Juan earns more than them and that it’s for the greater good that he has to sacrifice for the others? Does he have to place his future’s financial safety in jeopardy by virtue of “family ties?”

In situation one, the concept of sacrifice becomes completely distorted that instead of becoming a value, it becomes an excuse. Does the line, “Hindi mo ba kaya magsakripisyo para sa akin?” sound familiar? People are using sacrifice to get what they want at the expense of another person’s happiness.

Situation 2: Muelmar loves his family and the neighborhood more than anything else in the world. He loves them so much that he places their lives at a higher value than that of his. His sacrifice stems from the fact that he has a value system that he understands and embraces fully—even if it costs him his life.

Contrast the first to the second situation. In Juan’s case, his acts of “good” stem from pity and a lack of self-understanding. He helps his family because religion and society dictate him to do so. On the other hand, Muelmar’s actions are based on real values—love, justice, human life. He sacrificed because he accepts that there are greater and more important things in the world than his life.

These ideas may be difficult to swallow the first time around as they seem to be anti-religion. To a certain extent, they are. Christianity dictates that everyone, including undeserving people should be helped and we should all be willing to sacrifice ourselves for others. However, if that sacrifice comes at the expense of our own happiness and well-being, shouldn’t we start questioning ourselves? Is it fair to us if we’re living lives we don’t want for the sake of others?

(Don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against altruism and charity because these people have placed the lives of others as the most important in their lives. But what of everyone else?)

Although it might be hard, true sacrifice generates a sense of fulfillment. On the other hand, the false type drains you and leaves you weaker day by day. Let’s ask ourselves today, are we sacrificing right?

I read this headline the other day and I told myself, “What the hell are they thinking again?” When the country is dealing with poverty, corruption, the upcoming elections and natural disasters, we’re feeding a debate on whether to add another ray to the our flag’s sun.

So, I was forced to read the article and discover that it was a peacemaking move. Apparently, the sun’s rays have been representing the provinces that contributed to the uprising and helped quell the Spaniards. Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Laguna, and Batangas were all included but the Muslims were left out. In such a case, the debate has become a national design issue.

It’s true that the country has been unfair to the Muslims throughout our history as we have long been associating them with terrorists, which is why this move is admirable. But at the same time, is the symbol so powerful and influential that it can actually strengthen our ties with our brothers from Mindanao and remove the stigma we have been holding against them? Is spending large amounts of government money to add a sun’s ray a worthy investment to better our country? Or should they be spending it elsewhere—helping develop Mindanao or creating concrete activities and venues that can help remove the negative perceptions Christians have on Muslims?

Design is powerful and it can move people to fight for a cause as it did in Obama’s presidential campaign or Hitler’s tyranny; but a lot of times, it can be overrated. Are people even aware that the 8 rays represent these 8 provinces? Will our relationship with our Muslim brothers change with the addition of a sun’s ray?

Maybe it will, maybe it won’t. But the better question is, if it does, is it worth it?

To my surprise, I got 40 comments overnight on my previous post on Team Manila—some of them were personal, a lot were pissed of, some disagreed with reason, and some were supportive. Because I don’t have the time to reply to all those comments, let me write my thoughts below.

First, I want to apologize for the headline I used in my previous article, “destroying” was too strong a word to describe what I really wanted to say. Team Manila in itself is not destroying the Philippine Design. What I was saying is that they should be more aware of how their events and actions are shaping the design industry. Because they’re the market leader and they have the capacity to reach millions of Filipinos, they have the power to influence the design industry. I am pointing out that this power has the potential to be utilized to strengthen the distinction between design niches—shirt designers, layout and publication masters, web developers, motion graphic designers, logo specialists, branders, typographers, illustrators and strategists.

When you approach a client and he asks you the undying question,  ”What do you do?” how will you respond? Most people would say “I do graphic design.” This remark automatically generates a subconscious response in the client’s mind, “Oh, he does layouts, CD covers, newspapers, logos, brochures, etc.” But what if all you do are illustrations? What if you only like designing CD covers? What if you only design books? Under all these specific design/art niches is one unifying term, “graphic design.” This makes the field so ambiguous to non-designers.

What I was ranting about was the fact that TM is (indirectly) equating design to shirt contests, paintings and other forms of artistic expression. Since it’s highly publicized and TM is a credible source of information when it comes to design, people will believe it. Non-designers and aspiring ones will be led to think that graphic design is basically commercial art that you do on a computer that you print out on tarps.

I quote myself earlier, “While art focuses on expression, emotion and aesthetics; design focuses on solving problems and communicating messages.” But as it was pointed out by Mica and Camille in the earlier post, art can also convey information and deliver messages as they did even before the existence of the term, “graphic design.” Knowing this, my argument is put to shame. So what then is the difference between the two?

I thought about this and researched, but the debate between the difference has never ended for decades and it will obviously not find its resting place in this blog. And this got me thinking.

Does it matter if we can define art and design?

Where will all this fighting and disagreement lead us to?

If both art and design can accomplish tasks and solve problems, why bother make a distinction?

***

Since I’ve been disrespectfully unfair to Team Manila by not recognizing the fact that they wouldn’t be where they are if not for the skills and hard-earned effort that they’ve invested in building their brand, let me make up by stressing a good that comes from what they’re doing.

As much as I don’t want to admit it, TM played a pivotal role in my personal decision to go into design. When I was younger, I thought to myself, “Oh, graphic designers can make cool T-shirts.” and that’s where I did my research and started to really get into learning the software, understanding art principles, studying type and learning to use grids. TM served as a spark that started it all. And perhaps, they’ve had this effect on a thousand other Filipino designers.

I may brand them as incorrectly shaping the industry today; but on the other hand, they are jumpstarting young Filipinos to consider design as a real profession that should be taken as seriously as a doctor or a lawyer.

***

Before I end, I have a simple solution that may potentially alleviate the confusion between art and design. The magic word is “Niche.”

I started doing design as a freelancer and during those times, my thinking was: “I can do everything, so I’ll offer everything.” I did illustrations, logos, business cards and posters. That being said, I branded myself as a typical, ambiguous “Graphic designer.” I didn’t know if I really was an artist or designer, so I chose to be both.

That decision simply added to the confusion between artist and designer. That just made people ask more questions and end up with the realization that graphic designers are the people you call when you need to make promo materials.

During the course of my career, I met geniuses in the fields of marketing, sales and advertising. That’s where I was taught the concept of niche and learned to ask the questions, “Who am I, really? What do I want to be known for? Where do my strengths truly lie?

So I searched myself and found out which parts of art/design do I really love to do and want to keep doing. I realized I love logos, conceptualization, grids and setting text. I hated making fancy posters, flashy visuals, and using Photoshop for special effects. I did not like downloading brushes and creating colorful artworks. I dreaded painting, illustrating and other organic forms of art. But I do like setting the words, “Fuck you.” in Helvetica completely surrounded by white space. I love seeing a grid and looking at finely kerned letters in black and white. I love thinking about how people react to certain design cues.

Designers aren’t superheroes. We can’t do everything. A lot of the confusion between art and design sprouts from the fact that designers claim to be artists and artists claim to be designers. We have to learn to narrow down the things we do not to the things we are capable of doing, but to those which we do best.

Kanye West has been all over the web lately with his public outbursts against Taylor Swift and his (hilariously) disrespectful remarks on the death of the late Patrick Swayze.

Among all the things he’s been doing, what amused me the most was his apology to Taylor, which he posted in his blog. In all caps, it wrote:

“I’M SOOOO SORRY TO TAYLOR SWIFT AND HER FANS AND HER MOM. I SPOKE TO HER MOTHER RIGHT AFTER AND SHE SAID THE SAME THING MY MOTHER WOULD’VE SAID. SHE IS VERY TALENTED! I LIKE THE LYRICS ABOUT BEING A CHEERLEADER AND SHE’S IN THE BLEACHERS!………………I’M IN THE WRONG FOR GOING ON STAGE AND TAKING AWAY FROM HER MOMENT!………………BEYONCE’S VIDEO WAS THE BEST OF THIS DECADE!!! I’M SORRY TO MY FANS IF I LET YOU GUYS DOWN!!!!! I’M SORRY TO MY FRIENDS AT MTV. I WILL APOLOGIZE TO TAYLOR 2MRW. WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD! EVERYBODY WANNA BOOOO ME BUT I’M A FAN OF REAL POP CULTURE!!!! NO DISRESPECT BUT WE WATCHIN’ THE SHOW AT THE CRIBE RIGHT NOW CAUSE…WELL YOU KNOW!!! I’M STILL HAPPY FOR TAYLOR!!! BOOYAWWWW!!! YOU ARE VERY TALENTED!!!! I GAVE MY AWARDS TO OUTKAST WHEN THEY DESERVED IT OVER ME…THAT’S WHAT IT IS!!! I’M NOT CRAZY Y’ALL, I’M JUST REAL. SORRY FOR THAT!!! I FEEL REALLY BAD FOR TAYLOR AND I’M SINCERELY SORRY!!! MUCH RESPECT!!!

If you’re gonna deduce it simply from the way he wrote his message—from the SCREAMING ALL CAPS, the extremely long ellipses and the persistent exclamation marks!!!—he looks like an idiot.

What Kanye West just did is proof that there is a need for typography in this world. By adjusting spacing, using the proper symbols, punctuations and grids, typography ensures that the text is readable, legible and idiot-proof. Typography makes sure that you’re sending the right message (and not sounding like a douchebag) with your text.

So the next time you’re setting text in MS Word or Photoshop, think first before hitting that juicy “Caps Lock” button.

***

In the mean time, why don’t you try using the Kanye West Apology Generator.

Even comic creation can go through an innovation and deliver solid value. This isn’t really a new concept, but the comix builder is just mind-blowingly hilarious! Check out comixed.com to try it out.

If you’re a graphic designer in the Philippines and I mention the line, “The leading Graphic Design Firm in the Philippines,” what do you say?

(Chances are) Team Manila.

I don’t know how these guys got famous, but they did. In fact, they’re the ones who started the whole t-shirt design craze and the tightly letterspaced, stacked Helvetica (or another similar grotesque sans serif font) trend they used in their logo. Pushing their brand further, they’ve also established their own retail store, Team Manila Lifestyle.

Clearly, these guys deserve to be where they are as they wouldn’t be at the top of their game if not for their skills and effort; but I don’t like the way they’re shaping the industry.

Because Team Manila is the industry leader, they have the power to influence the mass population about what graphic design really is. When they talk, people listen. And when I said “people,” I wasn’t just referring to graphic designers, but to the rest of the Philippines who are confused about and misunderstand what design really is.

What really brought me to write against Team Manila was this article I read from Pinoy Tech Buzz entitled, “A Message from the Future,” which talks about the 1st Manila Design week spearheaded by Team Manila.

The article is opened with the line, “Undisputedly, this country is home to a lot of talented artists.” Then, a few paragraphs later, Team Manila is quoted with, “We want to provide a forum for Pinoy artists where they can show their talents, and likewise, who want to go from local to international recognition.” Going further into the paragraph, the post talks about T-shirt design competitions and how great Filipino artists are.

You got that right—Filipino artists.

The problem here lies in the fact that artists and designers are being used interchangeably when the truth is, Filipino artists aren’t necessarily graphic designers (and vice-versa.) While art focuses on expression, emotion and aesthetics; design focuses on solving problems and communicating messages.

What I strongly disagree with is how the field of design is being dumbed-down to a totally different form so that the people can digest it and art/design firms like Team Manila can benefit from it. Team Manila is becoming the Willie Revillame of graphic design—feeding the masses with false information and instant gratification because it’s what they want, not necessarily what they need to know and understand.

Since the goal of Team Manila is to bring graphic design into the mainstream, they also have to scale it down to a level the mainstream can understand. Because design is a field the mainstream wouldn’t be able to understand without actually studying it, they interchangeably use it with a simple concept like art so they can get a larger share of the market. Obviously, t-shirt design contests, which have more to do with art than design, are much easier to sell than x-heights, em dashes, modular grids and production methods.

The reason I’m reacting this much is that these days are part of a formative and transitional period in Philippine Design. With design tools becoming more easily accessible to the average Juan, design is slowly creeping into the mainstream. While this is happening, people (and a lot of artists) are attempting to gather more and more information about design. Students who want to grow in design will look for a local father figure. Unfortunately, if that figure is controlled by the likes of Team Manila who have the realistic capacity to shape people’s minds and perpetuate that design is all about expression and art, then Philippine Design will be doomed.

What Team Manila is doing is not wrong in itself as both artists and designers have a place in the creative Philippine ecosystem; but passing t-shirt design contests and “Freedom of Expression” as part of the First Manila Design Week is. Such a move is feeding people with false information and making it difficult for designers to explain to the moms, dads and non-designers of the world what design really is.

If this post reaches any of you Team Manila guys out there, kindly rename your event to the First Manila Artwork Week. Please?

For more examples of how graphic design is being misrepresented as art, see Adobo Magazine’s and Tim Yap’s post regarding the 1st Manila Design Week.

***

I posted a second article, “More Comments on Team Manila,” if you want to read more.

Lately, I’ve been really hardworking. I’m confident enough to say that I’ve never wasted so much sweat and sleepless nights on anything, ever.

Aesop would be so proud of me for embodying the virtue of hardwork.

Nothing’s wrong with that of course, except that hardwork has a way of turning you and me into mindless prawns. (Yeah, District 9!)

From Lord V's Flickr page.

Take a minute to remember that exact emotion you felt the day before a test you weren’t able to study for. You were panicking, cramming and extremely anxious about what’s gonna happen. You felt that you were gonna die and you just wanted to get through that day. You couldn’t think of anything else so you tell yourself, “I’ll just work hard and get this over with.” This is where the hardwork trap comes in. Read the rest of this entry…

Let me start with a funny, true story.

As you probably know, we moved into our new studio two weeks ago. To get to know my new neighborhood, I walked around the place and randomly talked to people asking them questions of all sorts. So, I met Rose, three different Jun’s, Mike and an unnamed security guard.

After I introduced myself, I asked for his name. His reply, “Borromeo.” Of course, that name was stitched to a patch over his uniform, which indicated that it was his surname. So, I asked again politely and jokingly for his real name.

He gave me this uneasy and hesitant face. I didn’t know what to expect.

After perhaps what seemed to be an hour of uneasy silence, he finally let go and revealed his darkest secret.

“I’m Birdie.”

In itself, Birdie’s already an awful, shameful name you could give your son. It gets even worse in his context.

Being a security guard, a protector of people, a harbinger of justice and a man of power, the name Birdie’s not gonna be easy for him. “Oh, Birdie, save me!” just doesn’t sound right.

The sad part here is that it’s not his fault.

On the other side, meet Sony Ericsson’s upcoming sexy phone, the Kiki. (If you didn’t laugh that means you’re not from the Philippines. Here’s what kiki means.)

If Sony Ericsson doesn’t plan to market this phone here in our country, then no problem. If they do however, like Birdie being a security guard, it’s not gonna be easy for them to do so.

“Can I text using your Kiki?”

“That’s a really cool Kiki you got there.”

“Oh, your Kiki’s so shiny and sexy. Can I touch it?”

Naming Brands isn’t as easy as it seems. It has to be researched and tested if it pronounces well. It has to reproduce well visually. It has to be associated with things you want to be associated with. Most importantly, it has to be taken in context.

What’s funny though is that Birdie and Kiki mesh well together.