Come Come Paradise

1. Buy a Macbook
2. Buy myself a camera
3. Lose weight
4. Compile my portfolio
5. Create a design blog
6. Learn Flash and Dreamweaver
7. Print my own T-shirts
8. Play WoW (just added)

I finally got myself a Macbook, lost some weight after quitting my job without any effort at all, and still losing weight because I just got food poisoning from Subway on Tuesday and I'm still not fully recovered, and compiled my portfolio before I left my job.

3 down, 4 to go. And I'm happy to say that number 2 might come anytime soon, and while doing number 5 and 7, I'll be doing 6 at the same time. For the very first time in 2 years, things are starting to go according to plan...

PS: everling saved my day

First of all, I'm making this a very general statement: Many graphic designers are overworked and underpaid. Of course, I'll be providing arguments to support this statement.

To graphic designers out there: How many of you have been hired by a company, made to work late nights and when you question why, you're given an answer that goes something like 'It's like that one'? The fact that graphic designers across the country (and region, I believe) are being pushed to work their asses off without any overtime salary is just disgusting, especially if the project they're working on are worth a fortune; sometimes millions. I read this salary report that was published somewhere (don't remember where), stating that graphic designers are very underpaid. There were numbers. And they were in red. And they were sad. It's no wonder that I queued up with Indonesian and Filipino maids when I applied for my work permit here (not kidding). Yes. Maids. And I have full respect towards maids or any other human being, so please don't accuse me of anything.

Not too long ago, I went to the general hospital in Singapore to see a friend's father who was admitted. We were trying to find a way out of the place, and we looked around for information counters. It was about 10:00PM and no one was at the counter. This took place in a hospital, where people were dying and bleeding to death. I'm not trying to pick on the hospital's service, but even some hospital staff didn't work as hard as many graphic designers do. Know of a design house? Go to the design house at 10:00PM and chances are, the lights are still on. And it will be no surprise if it stays on until 3:00AM the next morning.

If enough time and information were given to complete a project, it's more understandable if a designer is not given any overtime pay. In such a case, it's probably due to the lack of inspiration, laziness or the designer's incompetence. In those cases, the designers' staying back will mean that the company is incurring unnecessary costs. But more often than not, it's mostly due to the lack of respect towards designers and sometimes, the entire design house. The typical client's 'I-pay-you-so-I-own-your-ass' mentality can be extremely destructive. This one factor immediately causes a domino of problems like the lack of time, information and communication. And what do those things lead to? Lousy work, lousy service, lousy feedback and poor integrity.

I have heard of and seen companies which have functioned well, and are actually sought after by both clients and designers around the country. Companies that are not necessarily MNCs; companies that are local, good and well-balanced. Lines are drawn. Standards are made. Problems are solved. With good work, came reward. If these companies can do it, then I guess the stupid 'It's like that one' response from peers is nothing more than an excuse.

The thing is, it doesn't have to be 'like that'. It can be improved. MNCs which underpay and overwork their workers are no different from local companies who do the same. 'Multi-national' is not necessarily 'better'. And 'local' doesn't have to be 'cheap'. If the work produced is good, then it's only fair if it brings good profit. And how do these companies run? They work WITH the clients. They don't go around kissing feet and sucking up. It serves no purpose besides making themselves look desperate for work. Good service doesn't mean being a good servant. It means providing what the clients need, and meeting or exceeding their expectations. Polishing their shoes won't make your design look any better. Polishing your design will. Sucking up to your boss shouldn't (I didn't say wouldn't) land you a bigger paycheque. Impressing him/her with good work, should (I didn't say would). And I am a person who cannot do the former, so that leaves me with the better alternative (yay?).

This has to stop. Someone has to do something. I think that collectively, graphic designers should first be aware of the situation. Only then can the problem be solved. Only then can the industry be saved. Believe in only the things that you hear, and they will become the only things that you will notice.

PS: I am fully aware that this entry might find its way to a possible future employer or client. They might refuse to hire me upon reading this. But if they hire me despite having read this entry, I guess that will be a good thing, for I will be working with people who share the same values

This video is about how stupid money is and how we're modern day slaves because of it. It also explains a whole lot of ridiculous man-made, modern-day standards. The video also answered a few questions I presented in a previous blog entry. It also tells us that as long as money exists, human beings will never break free from this unnatural monetary obsession. It's kind of sad to think that for us to be free of all this shit, the world has to come to a near-end (then we wouldn't give a shit about money anymore and go back to nature or something, even for just a moment). Ah hell this video tells you a lot of things.

Not porn.

http://www.vort3x.com/

*Snickers*....