Image © Jose & MidJourney
Do you have people that, at a certain point in your life, impact and influence you greatly, and as they and you mature, you end up wondering what did exactly you see in them? I am sure you do…
In 1989 I finished my BA in Design in Lisbon, I went to work for the company I chose to while I was still studying, we went on a field trip and I said to myself “this is where I want to work”. I was focused and persistent, kudos to the then manager who, after making me wait for 8hr didn’t want to see my portfolio and told me to start the following morning. Then, in 1991 I decided to do a Masters, I applied to a few schools in the UK, then one of the best places to get a design education, and got accepted in a couple, chose the Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design.
I joined the cohort and I was pretty confident of myself, I had worked in a very successful and high-profile organization for a couple of years, and I thought I’d be better than those “kids” that went directly from the BA to the MA. The first semester I got my ass kicked, I was failing in several courses, I was already set in my ways and had a tough time deconstructing, destroying, what I thought I knew in order to let in the new. The then Dean who later became a friend, showed particular pleasure in seeing me feel lost, forced to question myself and my ways of thinking and doing. After that initial period, I understood what was needed and I started enjoying and having fun, this was one of the 5 pivotal moments in my life.
We had a number of lecturers coming in, mainly expanding the limits of what are methodological and critical approaches to design, people from different areas of practice that would not be seen as designers per se, but they helped students question their norms and beliefs, while building critical and personal perspective. One of these lecturers was James, his visits were always a riot, not only because he took his shoes off and sat on the front desk, but above all because he challenged us as designers, he brought a mixed experience of a man of science asking for more rigorous, evidence-based approach to design, innovation, technology and policy, and a man of the future (worked in a well-known think-tank). He made us feel silly about what we focused on, he talked about big picture needs and opportunities, he made us feel like we had a part to play.
Fast forward, I kept in touch with James and actually invited him once to come in and talk to top leadership in one of my previous jobs. In these last ten years, James has come out with opinions and positions that some might find uncomfortable, especially in areas of climate and environmental discourse and policy. I have read comments where some confuse his contrarian approach and critical thinking to extremism and radicalism, but I continue to see the same person that I met so many years ago, challenging the mainstream thinking and pointing out the dystopia behind much of what is said and done, and mostly about what is not done.
For me, every time I read something from James that makes me uncomfortable, I remember and remind myself that this is what I liked about him from start. I may not agree with what he thinks and says, but boy does he continue to blow my mind. Thank you, James.