Paul Rand “Good Design Is Good Will” 1987 from Graphic Design Theory: Readings From the Field page 64-69 and Steven Heller’s “Underground Mainstream” in Design Observer 2008.

Prompts

  • In your opinion, is there a difference between “underground” and “mainstream” today? Why?
  • Heller identifies a few underground movements, like 1960s psychedelia, that turned mainstream; which ones does he identify? And can you think of any others?
  • Provide a visual example (with citation) of culture jamming today. Describe why it would be considered culture jamming.

Yes, there is an absolute difference between mainstream and underground even by definition. In the context of music, mainstream artists are the ones that make it to the radio and are known worldwide publicly as well as signed to record labels which help them make a platform. In contrast, underground artists are the ones that are more private and find other means to publish their music instead of signing with a company or doing it themselves which keeps them from having a bigger audience.

Heller identified the 1960s psychedelia, Punk, and Grunge as some of the underground movements. Another trend that became mainstream is being “hipster”. The hipster trend goes something like wanting to do things that no one else does, such as listening to music that is unheard of or wearing an ugly Christmas sweater because you know no one else will but unfortunately for them, hipster fashion and the pro-underground attitude have become popular enough to become “mainstream.”

This image here would be considered culture jamming because it has successfully exposed the method of domination apple uses on a majority of the masses in just two words. We all know and love apple products but the race to keep up with all the new phones is getting ridiculous. The way apple markets luxury is so toxic that in debt college students will do anything to buy a MacBook instead of a regular $300 laptop that serves the same purpose if not better.