Stories - once the heart and soul of culture - have become a tempting feast for corporations. Discourse, narratives, and even the roles of stories in society are increasingly enslaved by mighty capital. This ambivalence of the contemporary world permeates every aspect of life, including graphic design.

As a visual designer, I am not only a witness but also a participant in this process. What once was a domain of humanism now turns into a commercial product. Stories that were meant to shape values and build social bonds are now mere marketing tools. Do I see it? Clearly. Does it bother me? Absolutely.

This question comes back to me like a boomerang. Maybe our role goes beyond creating "design"? Perhaps we are guardians of visual culture, fighting for its integrity in the face of corporate invasion? Can our work influence the quality of visual communication and promote values that are close to us?

Is this just my (futile) consolation? Can I truly believe that my contribution can have a significant impact? These doubts arise especially after reading Byung-Chul Han's "The Crisis of Narration and Other Essays." It's an intriguing reflection on how corporations and capital have taken control over our thoughts, our stories, our dreams. What was once an organic part of culture now only serves profit interests. And I, as a visual designer, feel part of this paradox.

Do I have answers to these questions? No. Perhaps I'll never have them. I don't know if anyone will. I don't know the exact way out of this situation. But our work matters. Maybe we, visual designers, can fight for the integrity of stories, culture, and social values in the face of corporate onslaught.

Similarly, it reminded me of everything Naomi Klein described years ago in "No Logo." The world we are submerged in is saturated with brands and their narratives that seek to dominate our lives. Commercialization of everything, manipulation. Should we resist or accept that our work is an internal part of this system? Can our actions as designers have a real impact on changing this trend? Do we even want that as visual designers?

Tremendous ambivalence. I would like not to give up the fight for design to create a more authentic visual world. Perhaps I won't be able to change everything, but I can always try to influence what's happening around me. Because perhaps therein lies the power of graphic design - in the ability to shape not only aesthetics but also the content and values we want to convey to the world. It's a daily collision with a wall, shaking it off and running in a new direction. To meet the next wall.
I design. I love what I do, and I hate what I do.