¶ … role that he outlines for design in modern society is the role that design still plays today. His concerns about the use of design to push an agenda for the world that is ultimately destructive remain valid. The relationship between design and the human experience of the world has not changed since Ewen wrote the article. Design still performs that same function, and if anything performs it more now than it did as Ewen described.
Good design "then" according to Ewen was founded in socio-political beliefs. Design "then" represented an aesthetic that was tied into social objectives. The way that the design made people feel was deliberate, but contributed to broader social goals. Ewen argues that good design "now" is different. He states that good design today mainly elicits an emotional response. Good design sells products and ideas, rather than broader social objectives. Good design "then" came from defined schools such as Art Nouveau, and attained a degree of consistency. Good design "today" is more random, and as such is unable to contribute to broader social goals; it only contributes to sales.
Bennett's article counters Ewen's by illustrating an example where design can be used to pursue broader social goals. She cites the case of AIDS posters in Kenya. For such posters to be effective, they must reflect the local society. This requires professional graphic design talent. From the project studied in the article Bennett shows how design can still have a positive function in society. It is not merely to sell product, but can be used to sell a message as well. The "then" design sold certain messages about the direction of society; this "now" design serves the same function. The AIDS posters therefore represent an evolution in the role of design, where modern selling principles are incorporated into historical socio-political messages to sell ideas, such as AIDS prevention.
