Propaganda and other protest materials over the years has
been dictated by those radicals or outspoken individuals of the time. The
specific format and aim of these pieces vary from person-to-person, time-to-time,
and country-to-country. The most easily recognizable association of propaganda
in the United States would be the World War posters. Many of these posters are
still what many designers are inspired by or thrive to leave as much impact as
many of these posters have. Many of the design styles and formats that are used
in current design were pulled from the various formats of the propaganda
posters of the world wars.
--article. Visualizing a Revolution: Emory Douglass and the Black Panther Newspaper.
The Black Panthers can be seen as 2 different extremes:
“charismatic,
grandstanding violent thugs, exploiting oppressive conditions to promote their
own pathological agendas, and the United States is fortunate that the FBI and
police stopped them before they started a bloody civil war.”
“brilliant
revolutionary visionaries who tried to expand the African American civil rights
struggle into an opportunity to end Western imperialism, global racism and
capitalist exploitation of working people.”
Emory Douglas’ images “illustrated conditions that made revolution seem necessary and constructed a visual mythology of power for people who felt powerless.”
Emory Douglas’ images “illustrated conditions that made revolution seem necessary and constructed a visual mythology of power for people who felt powerless.”
The design materials and style that we choose to use for
pieces can appear as two different sets of connotations, based on what the
audience sees in the pieces. This article also spoke about how all parts of our
life, all of the little experience that we add up can one day create some kind
of huge impact on the world if we find our voice and stand.
--article. Design of Dissent: Introduction and Interview with Milton Glaser.
First off, I totally geeked out reading this article and was
thoroughly engrossed throughout this whole read. The story in this article that
speaks easily for the whole piece is Adam Cohen’s article about the scientists
experimenting in Scandinavia with Capuchin monkeys. They found out that the
monkeys were cooperative when each monkey received the same food, but when one
received something different, there was disorder/chaos. This shows that as long
as all are treated fairly + the same, then there will be no need to make waves,
but as soon as a difference is shown, an inner need to strive for something
better steps in.
key moments/statements.
dissent: to withhold assent; to differ in opinion;
difference of opinion.
Glaser. “I’m not sure it’s relevant whether people use the
word ‘dissent’ or not. They certainly disagreed with the government and an
aspect of dissent is disagreement. We like to feel dissent is about a notion of
fairness that is being violated by the existing power structure.”
Heller. “Unfairness provokes dissent.”
Heller. “Dissent has long been manifest in a human desire
for equality, but it has always been a fight against an overwhelming power that
imposes harm on others.”
Glass. “There is always a source of power that is
instrumental in producing dissent.”
Heller. “What is good and bad dissent?”
Glaser. “Dissent is very necessary because of the
institutional instinct to move toward a totalitarian position.”
Heller. “Is dissent sometimes a lofty word for complaint?”
Glaser. “In part, and of course we all know people who
believe nothing is ever right.”
Glaser. “Expressions of violence justify violent responses
by the established powers. It’s one of the reasons why people who dissent have
to be thoughtful about the mode of dissent in order to accomplish their goals.”
Glaser. “Generally, people respond to powerful imagery and
words that contain an appeal to justice.”
Glaser: “We are in the midst of this revolutionary change,
most profoundly expressed in the Internet, where the blogs now have become an
expression of journalism, and where millions of people are not doing reporting,
commentary, and editorials, and are beginning to have an effect that official
journalism does not have.”
Glaser. “The problem of the Internet is tremendous
information and no judgment. So what I suppose you look for is people or
personalities or work that has risen above the noise, and has convinced people
of its authenticity. In a democracy, you really need people who rise above the
general din and stand for something.”
