C-mon Guys, "It's Just Design"

So, I had a sober awakening this morning as I stumbled, weary and tired into my graphic design history class. We were greeted with news that a junior level student in the program had died, specifically, as they told us (which is why I'm writing and assuming it is common knowledge) committed suicide.

I didn't know this student, didn't know his story, or anything else relating to him - or why he would do such a thing - but it really, as detached as I was from the situation, still sent a shock wave through my ideas of the morning, and the week. We worry about portfolio review, we worry about work-ups, and ideas, and thoughts and evidence of process, and kitsche and wit and all of these things relating to design - how to communicate - and somewhere, weeks, months, years back - we forgot to communicate or failed to communicate effectively with this one life and person.

Not to say that this is the blame of anyone, at all, period - sometimes no amount or form of commucation is effective with anyone - but it just reiterates the idea of what our business is...and the antithesis of something in this system breaking down to bring this person to do this...

I didn't know him, never met him (as far as I can recall), but I am very, truly sad for him and his family - and I'm sorry I (not in a sense of regret or remorse) couldn't have the opportunity to have met and experienced another creative person.

I will admit - I hate railing onto something that I have no personal attachment to, namely because I never feel like I really have the right or place to do so, but I just...I dunno - always have something to say. Just my nature...and this does hit closer to home, especially as a peer.