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A review by mandirigma
Ruined by Design: How Designers Destroyed the World, and What We Can Do to Fix It by Mike Monteiro
4.0
I’m giving this book four stars on a curve because I believe it needs to exist for the audience it was written for: white tech bros who will only listen to another white tech bro (the author basically says as much).
I’m a WOC working in tech and I’m certain many of us minority folk already know most of this stuff through experience and necessity. Diverse hiring practices bring more perspectives to the table and result in a better product. Big social media platforms will never be in the business of protecting their users’ data or lives. And if you really want to make change in the workplace, you need organized labor. A lot of this felt like Humanities 101, but I suppose this is the stuff you miss in STEM and design school.
I will say, I appreciate Monteiro’s fire. And while I thought I was pretty aware of the rampant douchebaggery in Silicon Valley, I still found myself genuinely surprised each time Monteiro cited yet another violation by another tech giant. I also appreciate that he did offer some concrete answers — not in the way of how to save the world from inhumane design, or how to be totally financially okay from getting fired for taking a stand, but in building community with others. There is strength in numbers, and when you act in solidarity with others, they’ll act in solidarity with you.
I’m a WOC working in tech and I’m certain many of us minority folk already know most of this stuff through experience and necessity. Diverse hiring practices bring more perspectives to the table and result in a better product. Big social media platforms will never be in the business of protecting their users’ data or lives. And if you really want to make change in the workplace, you need organized labor. A lot of this felt like Humanities 101, but I suppose this is the stuff you miss in STEM and design school.
I will say, I appreciate Monteiro’s fire. And while I thought I was pretty aware of the rampant douchebaggery in Silicon Valley, I still found myself genuinely surprised each time Monteiro cited yet another violation by another tech giant. I also appreciate that he did offer some concrete answers — not in the way of how to save the world from inhumane design, or how to be totally financially okay from getting fired for taking a stand, but in building community with others. There is strength in numbers, and when you act in solidarity with others, they’ll act in solidarity with you.