Ejaz Asks: and how comfortable do designers feel advocating such voices (while designing such ad-compaigns)? At least we can immediately address these questions, sabeen. Is the job of designers (traditional or new-media) only to solve visual problems? or some ethical paradigms exist and are adhered?

You’ve hit a raw nerve, Ejaz. In my completely not humble opinion, designers, programmers, teachers, students, ceo’s, cto’s, blah, blah, blah, basically EVERYONE, has a greater responsibility. Of course, every now and then, I enter the twilight zone of morality and have to make tough decisions about what’s ethical and not. The twist that branding, especially lifestyle-oriented branding has taken over the last few years leaves me boggled! Cereal companies tell us to bond with our breakfast. Yeesh. How corny and altogether dumb. Anyway, one has to work to make ends meet and I have decided that I can either become a full-blown sufi or adapt … I have decided to adapt and try and bring about change from within – i.e. try and influence corporates to do their bit.

There are certain things I know I will NEVER do, irrespective of how much money is offered. I will NEVER, EVER design/develop ANYTHING for tobacco companies, the armed forces, and militant religious groups.

Pakistan Tobacco Company has embarked on a brand new campaign to save the world. Please check out this statement from their latest advert: “Pakistan Tobacco Company believes in active community service”. To show its committment to communities, PTC has begun planting trees and setting up mobile dispensary units. How can a company that produces a product designed to kill have the fucking audacity to project itself as a concerned corporation (that in itself is an oxymoron)? Oh, and they also conduct Free Diabetes Screenings and Eye Camps.

I guess one could argue that in a country like Pakistan, every inch of support is essential and shouldn’t be scoffed at. Yeah, whatever … BUT, this %^^#$%%!!!! company’s balance sheet is dependent on people buying cancer sticks and now they want to wipe some blood off their hands. Kill a few people, plant a few trees, tell a couple of misguided village folk that their blood sugar level is high and that they should stop eating all those gulab jamuns – all in a day’s work. Nice!!!!

FUCK YOU!!!!!!!! Do whatever ‘good’ you have to, you lame assholes, but don’t flaunt it by printing full color ads in the newspaper and telling us how much you care. These ads are an insult to our intelligence. You dared to dream?? So did we! We dream of world peace, of getting children off the streets, of an end to poverty … you dream of making money by selling DISEASE.

What a sick, twisted, pathetic, excuse of a world we inhabit – the civilized 21st century. Hah!

My pride and joy, the love of my life, my sex bomb – slid off a desk and crashed onto the floor at 11:03 p.m. on the 10th of December, 2003. This sublime phenomenon, a.k.a. 12″ Powerbook G4, now has a DENT. Its previously gorgeous right side is deformed and I am devastated.

While I have experienced deeper pain caused by innumerable crises over the years, I have never suffered through a more complex headache than the one I developed last night.

GAWD, I feel so damn sorry for myself. Anyhow, am now entering the acceptance phase – at least everything’s intact and functioning correctly.