“ Design is only design if it communicates knowledge.” – Enzo Mari In todays society more than ever we are surrounded and defined by objects. These objects rule our daily lives and serve as symbols of who we are and what we want to achieve. But would we really want them representing us if we knew what they were and where they came from? The emotional aspect of design has been discussed a lot in respect to the longevity of an object, but it is the Politics of these objects that should be investigated. How these objects represent us and our culture is incredibly important, the emotional aspect of it will reveal its self after the Politics have been understood. Politics has been rife in Art for centuries but it is now time for Designers to become politicised and allow for that message to be disseminated through their work. If there’s a Revolution in the way Designers think then maybe this will filter down through to the user. This is when the indomitable William Morris appears and delivers some brilliant advice: “If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses...

The industrial design industry of the 21 st century can be seen as a force for evil. Continually re-inventing the wheel and adhering to fashion trends so as to sell as much as possible to as many people as possible. Another of its faults is the practice of planned and perceived obsolescence, which is the predetermined life cycle of a product . Our Planet is in the worst state it has been in since its creation. Our natural recourses are all but running out and there is a growing lack of space to dump our waste. This is all coupled with an explosion in the World’s population and an increased life expectancy. It was only 100 years ago that the world’s population stood at 1.6 billion opposed to the current 7 billion. It is in this dank climate of consumption that change has to start, and it is up to the design industry to act. It has the power to change the materials that are used in the products and to cut mass production down to a minimum. It is no longer acceptable to live in this bogus bliss of ignorance. As Plato wrote “ Ignorance, the root and...