Ruined by Design: How Designers Destroyed the World, and What We Can Do to Fix It

by Mike Monteiro

Because I love you, I need to tell you something: you’re not special. You have no unique properties. There is absolutely nothing about you that makes you different than anyone else. Even if you are the most creative person you know, I guarantee there are ten million other people. Just. Like. You. This is good news. We’re no different than anyone else. We’re not special. We’re ordinary and we live by the same social contract. Yes, designers can change the world—but it’s because we have the same responsibility as every other ordinary person on this planet. And just like everybody else, you need to opt in. We can’t afford you not trying.

I’ve had similar conversations where I’ve tried to tell people they’re not special, and that’s a good thing! But it never goes over well...