04.04 // Module II: Politics and Power Discussion

Lecture

First, Ahmed talked a bit about Slavoj Žižek and how, for him, desires are programmed via ideological design things. He showed a video of Žižek explaining how culture and ideology manifest in made things, using the example of toilets.

Discussion Highlights

The insights that came out of the discussion session…

• Pointed out stereotypes implicit in Disney films, such as entitlement, damsels in distress, etc
• Drew parallels to dark patterns and UI that are designed to trick users
• Pointed out how biopolitics interferes with women’s reproductive health
• Raised concerns about lack of moral agency, transparency, and a voice when confronted with systems of power
• Raised many questions about the designer’s role in 1) shaping norms and social patterns and 2) contributing to oppressive systems of power and what their responsibility is to change those systems and norms
• Raised ethical questions about surveillance in the information age and how data is used
• Asked, “is a neutral ideology possible?”
• Questioned whether design education is a means of homogenization