EM

turdeyeblind:

Over the past year or so I’ve tried to incorporate some of my (ever so small) knowledge of Zen ideology into my design work.

My friend De posted this nice rundown the other day, and whether you’re familiar with Zen or not, these are just good design principles.

FUKINSEI (imbalanced)
Asymmetry, odd numbers, irregularity, unevenness, imbalance is used as a denial of perfection as perfection and symmetry does not occur in nature.

KANSO (simple)
Elimination of ornate and things of simplicity by nature expresses their truthfulness. Neat, frank and uncomplicated.

KOKOU (austere)
Basic, weathered bare essentials that are aged and unsensuous. Evokes sternness, forbiddance, maturity and weight.

SHIZEN (natural)
Raw, natural and unforced creativity without pretence. True naturalness is to negate the naive and accidental.

YUGEN (subtle profound)
Suggest and not reveal layers of meaning hidden within. Invisible to the casual eye and avoiding the obvious.

DATSUZOKU (unworldly)
Transcendence of conventional and traditional. Free from the bondage of laws and restrictions. True creativity.

SEIJAKU (calm)
Silence and tranquility, blissful solitude. Absence of disturbance and noise from one’s mind, body and surroundings.

(via)

Two snaps up and in a circle.

langer:

merlin:

I’m painfully aware of the divisive nature of whatever the fuck it is that I do (and more particularly, how I do it)…

While we’re being “meta-ass-kissy” here I have to ask: why do you always say things like “whatever the fuck it is I do” whenever you talk about your work?

You make a living telling people how to be a little less stupid. Period. End of story. As the son of two people who make their livings doing the exact same thing for big businesses I’ll just clear up the confusion and tell you exactly what are: you’re a consultant. You’re not a “whatever the fuck”, you’re a consultant. And I’ve got a great contact for you if you need to get your business cards reprinted.

But you’re more than that.

You’re like our gadfly on this here internet, this World Wide Web, this thing that a lot of people like me care a whole lot about. And while my parents might go home at night to watch reruns of CSI (love you mom! wish I was kidding about the CSI thing!), you just turn on your computer (since—ha—who are we kidding, you probably didn’t leave the house all day) and use your influence and notoriety for something good, to get on Twitter or on one of your fourteen blogs and keep right on telling people when they’re being dumb—or better, when they’re being awesome.

And whether or not you know it there’s actual value in that. As someone with a voice and a following you’re actually Getting Something Done just by being a crank on the internet. You’re like the editorial staff at this paper where the news department can’t even figure out which way is up (I’m looking at you, tech media), and just by virtue of being good and being loud you’re changing minds and swaying opinions.

And goddamnit Merlin that’s valuable, and there are too many guys and gals out there just like me who look to you to be doing exactly what it is you’re doing because we care about the same things you care about for you to keep selling it short.

—

Anyway, I’ve never said anything this nice about someone on the internet before. I hope I don’t have to buy you breakfast in the morning.