The internet is probably one of our most valuable, yet destructive resources, providing many opportunities and many restrictions at the same time.

Made You Look documents how the internet has shaped the way design is constructed within our contemporary society, with reference to traditional, analogue techniques and methods. A journey of technological progress, design has evolved to primarily suit screen-based media, being the largest platform for distribution and interpretation in our modern, digital world.

Turn the internet off! 

In this concept, increased focus and value would be placed on communication, entailing for more enriched conversations to take place. This heightens the involvement and understanding with project intentions, with improved methods of effective collaboration. A greater clarification of reality would be sought, bridging the gap between real and fake, fantasy and reality, constructed with considerable experimentation and exploration of natural resources/ processes.

It’s no secret that the technology we own, controls the way in which we live our lives. Every day, these technological devices steal hours of our time, providing a form of distraction and procrastination, ultimately reducing our productivity. A world with no internet would rule this out, meaning life could be lived to a greater, more fulfilling quality. Experiences would improve, providing design with greater scope and context.

Despite this, with no internet, the design industry as we know it would become fragmented, breaking the ease of global contact and increasing the time taken to exchange messages/ ideas externally. This would slow advancements and lengthen project times, meaning simple jobs would take considerably longer, wasting the time of the designer and the client.

Based in a consumerist society, our ability to promote design would suffer, with a loss of media insight, alongside conventionally used publication platforms. With no online consumerism, it becomes increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to reach audiences of the same scale from multiple cultures. This would usually mean for a loss of purpose, where projected message fails to be acknowledged and deliver its intended message. This would especially be the case with regards to design laced with cultural reference, due to the fact that its cultural reach has been limited, restricted to a more local society.

The loss of the internet would result in a backwards transition from digital to physical form, adapting screen-based media to suit the nature of print. This comes with both benefits and limitations, tied closely with correlations mentioned above.

Physical texts are often perceived with increased value to that of screen-based media. This is due to the fact it holds physical value, where screen based media doesn’t actually exist in true form beyond our own screens. Having something to hold, or observe in reality, draws a sense of truth to the design, diminishing the boundary between what is real and fake, beyond a matter of perception.

Despite this, screen-based media is more easily produced and distributed, formulated to suit various platforms. This induces ease, ensuring that the image/ message is received and observed by a mass audience of various cultures, collaborating values.

To conclude, there are benefits and implications to both sides of the case, where the only plausible outcome is to obtain self control and limit the way in which we utilise the internet. The solution is to find a correct balance, incorporating the digital into our lives, rather than the other way round; by finding a way to reduce the control such entities hold upon our lives.