First Things First Manifesto

The “First Things First Manifesto” was one which was published by Adbusters magazine first in 1964 and again, in a revised version, in 1999. The manifesto is one which debates graphic design in the sense of morality. The manifesto talks about the consequences of working for and creating designs for causes that create a negative output. Designing for causes like gun manufacturers or the tobacco industry would be examples of causes that aren’t exactly morally correct. I really agreed with First Things First because I personally wouldn’t choose to design or work for something or someone that went against my personal beliefs. If I felt that my designs would contribute to something negative, I wouldn’t take the job.

In my last post, I talked about the “Impotence Of Being Earnest” article and how it’s unfair to expect designers to only design for “good causes”. The issue posed in “First Things First” is different though, because it is simply a matter of staying away from “bad causes.” This is something that all designers can do with a lot more ease than only designing for “good causes”, and it stops companies and corporations who have a negative message or affect on the world from prevailing through the use of graphic design and advertising.