Near Future Laboratory Podcast cover image

Near Future Laboratory Podcast

N°089 - Silvio Lorusso Design & Disillusion

Jun 23, 2024
Silvio Lorusso, a Lisbon-based designer, artist, and author of 'What Design Can't Do', dives into the intriguing interplay of design and disillusionment. He discusses how design can fulfill dreams yet contribute to societal challenges, reflecting on the shift from tangible practices to abstraction. The conversation touches on the ethics of AI, the cultural impact of memes, and the evolving dynamics in the crypto art scene. Silvio shares personal anecdotes that weave a tapestry of skepticism mixed with hopeful aspirations for the future of design.
57:19

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Silvio Lorusso critiques the design profession's disillusionment, emphasizing a shift from meaningful problem-solving to abstract theorization and self-doubt.
  • The podcast highlights the structural economic influences that create unrealistic expectations around design, contrasting romanticized visions with practical realities faced by designers.

Deep dives

Disillusionment in Design

The podcast discusses the theme of disillusionment within the design community, as expressed by Silvio LaRusso in his book, 'What Design Can't Do.' He argues that design, once a promising field committed to problem-solving, has devolved into a profession fraught with self-doubt and irrelevance. The expertise of designers is frequently undervalued, overshadowed by online tools and services that trivialize their skills. This cultural shift results in a pervasive sense of inadequacy among designers, as they grapple with the feeling that their contributions lack the same impact they once held.

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