I read the book “The Responsible Object: A History of Design Ideology for the Future.” It is not a traditional book with a clear storyline, but a collection of 20 essays by different authors that look at the Western design tradition of the last 150 years in the context of socially conscious design.

Editor Marjanne Van Helvert argues for a design philosophy that focuses on the well-being of society and the environment. She suggests that true innovation in design is not about creating new products, but about rethinking the systems that are responsible for the status quo of design practice.

It is difficult to note each essay individually, so I will elaborate on the ideas I found interesting in the book.

I

It is assumed that consumer capitalism has brought economic prosperity. But this overlooks the problems of waste and inefficiency.

The relentless pursuit of profit has led to a culture where innovation is valued for its own sake, without regard for the long-term consequences. This belief is widespread, and any resistance in work is seen as counterproductive or even harmful, regardless of the negative impact on the community.

The design industry often fails to critically evaluate its role in perpetuating social inequality. If the design discipline promotes consumption or reflects an unjust social order, then its purpose must be questioned.

Design should focus on satisfying basic human needs, otherwise it is unnecessary.

II

Design thinking is praised for its problem-solving potential, but it overlooks the political and moral complexity of real-life problems. Design is not ideology-free; it is influenced by political will and must be progressive and pragmatic to solve problems.

Social innovation in design often lacks a strategic understanding of social inequality and tends to collaborate with those who perpetuate it.

Often design is seen as a commodity and overshadowed by techno-utopian narratives rather than being used to challenge ontologies and expose societal vulnerabilities.

Rather than producing “preferable” solutions within a conservative framework, designers should address discriminatory politics.

Despite these issues, the importance of “social”, “sustainable” or “empathetic” design cannot be overstated. These approaches are crucial to solving the deeper social, economic and political problems.

III

The world is facing an unprecedented refugee crisis, exacerbated by climate change and political decisions. Wealthy countries are responding to the refugee crisis with restrictive immigration policies without addressing the root causes of migration.

Investments in technologies that improve living conditions and benefit the environment are neglected due to a lack of immediate financial benefits. However, as environmental problems become more pressing, solving them will inevitably become “profitable” as survival depends on it.

Current environmental strategies focus on converting energy sources and promoting recycling, but the ultimate goal should be to reduce the need for energy and materials altogether. Designers need to bring ideology to their work and make a significant impact on these complex problems.

Sustainable design is social design, and a socially responsible future is a sustainable future.

IV

Richard Buckminster Fuller’s goal of “doing more and more with less and less until eventually you can do everything with nothing” summarises today’s goal of reducing the need for energy, recycling and reuse and ultimately doing more (well-being of society and the environment) with less.

This idea was taken further with E. F. Schumacher’s book “Small is Beautiful.” This movement promotes environmentally friendly solutions on a smaller scale such as steam engines, solar stoves and homemade wind turbines.

My most important realisation is that I (and designers) should trust in integrating ideals of equality and sustainability into design work in order to break down the systems of the status quo that are responsible for the problems we currently face. After breaking down these systems, we should focus on creating small and accessible solutions with big impact.