Towards a High Modernity Value Hierarchy
Introduction
Valuing the necessity for a novel approach to the structuring of the purpose, role and meaning of graphic design in relation to a long-term vision for an ameliorated societal coalition, the false positive priorly defined as the historical period of ‘High Modernity’ is rejected in favor of a true High Modernity ideal aimed at the realization of the highest common good to be defined in practically achievable objectives.
Engaging a general value determination for High Modernity
Setting out a series of fundamental positions constructing a clear vision for the development of a praxis within Graphic Design propagating essentially useful applications within the structuring of society. This ethos engages ranked concepts as follows: harmony, order, pragmatics, responsibility, and discipline; thus setting up the balancing act of renewal and innovation with the necessity for protection and preservation as a supreme quest. Order comprises the incitation to the structuring and rendering useful of chaotic occurrences, placing pragmatics at the wheel determining the order in which activities should be undertaken. The obliged cognizance imposed on any cultural actor is their responsibility to the civil consequences of their decisions, even when they are not consciously engaging with those themes. Any practice is necessarily based on the perpetuation of a certain set of values to which the perpetuator is irrefutably held responsible.
Furthermore disciplinary comportment is compulsory on the part of the graphic designer to assure the continued labour required for the consistent imposition of aforementioned values.
Refining high modernist claims throughout history
Looking beyond linguistically delineated periods in the historical development of design, several themes especially attuned to civil cultivation can be perceived as re-emergent across time. A retracing of this phenomenon might commence at the prehistoric human fostering of—and first graphic manifestations relating to the visualisation of—speech. Honor-bound to Egyptian hieroglyphic development, and with a definite flourishing during the Renaissance and Enlightenment-based Neoclassicism, this central motif based on a social, empirically determined impetus for a striving towards the balanced pursuit of an ideally construed arrival is also apparent in seemingly counterproductive design phases. Such tendencies would include for example the development of organized morality during medieval times, and the fitness for purpose, rather than style engagement originating from European 19th century Victorianism.
Especially coruscating during periods of economic prosperity and societal flourishing, the modernity ethos builds on the structural benefits of these positive developments, yet shifts in accordance to relevant oppositional changes. Averse to this reactionary dictum the modus operandi of High Modernity embeds the perpetually upbuilding method of expanding on pertinent tradition and thus construing a continually improving design practice, regardless of temporary situational occurrences.
Necessity of a High Modernist morality in design
Essentially, the greater underlying meaning and motivation for these praxes conceives an organizatory stimulus for civil thriving and development, its theoretical notions rooted in a progressive position within a structurally pragmatic and historically conscious framework. This practical attitude is of crucial importance to transcend a merely conceptually construed dogmatic paradigm. Futhermore, establishing parameters and actionary intentions defining the arrival of an ideally construed state inflicts positively on the determination of a constructively guiding morality. Determining as le but the organization of a Graphic design practice striving towards the best possible solution to the highest civil challenges relating to the communication of information and design of the cultural landscape as the ultimate vocation imposed on any self-respected agent operating within this field, an ultimate stance towards design contains the fulfillment of expected civil responsibility.
Application of High Modernist values
From the necessity of the cultivation of design to a blooming society leaps the salient prerequisite of the designer as a responsible agent for the cultivation of the common good. Entertaining a structurally progressive striving for innovation whilst keeping a strong grounding within a traditionally canonical past the designer is bound to revivify, an adaptive practice centered primarily on harmonious conduct, both implicitly and explicitely, is construed. This search for stabilizing equilibrium manifests as a centering notion, balancing the exciting progress of new technological opportunities with the stability obliged in order to cultivate them. More explicitly, design realized in accordance will as such literally depict this approach as it aims to perpetuate a visual language taking the centre as the ideal standard, then mitigating the placement of content consonantly. Thus the role of the designer as an active collaborator defining the breakthrough cutting-edge of boundless possibility made useful is necessarily a regulatory position based on orderly conduct. Within Graphic Design the opportunity to consider this phenomenon is most manifest in the interplay between communicative, readable messaging and the implementation and experimentation with new and innovative forms of design pushing the discipline forward.
Which of these manifestations of opportunity could lay claim to a most successful output and should therefore be researched first relates to a question of pragmatics, a process rendering incumbent on the designer to take on a meaning-based stance. This decision is quintessentially an obligatory affiance with an ethos fundamentally based on the recognition and engagement with a sense of responsibility to civil and personal beneficial cultivation.
Finally, a ferocious discipline, pertaining both the the designers’ personal conduct as to the necessary prerequisite of specialization in order to achieve the highest quality within a given field, is mandatory as a strategy cultivating focus and dedication.
Conlusion
High Modernity ideals pertain to a select hierarchy of incumbent values, namely harmony, order, pragmatics, responsibility, and discipline; each of which need to be represented in functionally useful, meaningfully engaging and morally sound design. Leveraging an incredible historical wealth of solutions aimed at the betterment of the civil good, the determination of a distinct future vision aimed at stabilizing and constructing a better public modus operandi sets up the parameters for a morally well-determined engagement with societal needs and wants. In essence lending the primary basis for the development of a distinct practical guiding method on good design realized in clear examples, this thesis introduces the High Modernity ethos engaged for an effulgent future.