An Argument Against the ____

In response to “An Argument Against the Everyday,” by Mark Foster Gage in Issue 3, Vol. 04: “Everyday”.

Remember Mad-Libs? This is one of those.

1. _______________________(Descriptive Adjective)
2. _______________________(Verb ending in -ing)
3. _______________________(Vessel)
4. _______________________(Basic Brand Name)
5. _______________________(Beverage)
6. _______________________(Deluxe Beverage)
7. _______________________(A piece of inflated jargon)
8. _______________________(Noun)
9. _______________________(Emotion)
10. _______________________(Noun)
11. _______________________(Number)
12. _______________________(Philosopher)
13. _______________________(Adjective)
14. _______________________(Adjective that is the foil to #1)
15. _______________________(Occupational field)
16. _______________________(Adjective)
17. _______________________(Design Movement)
18. _______________________(That obnoxious girl from Elementary School)
19. _______________________(Name of a periodical)
20. _______________________(Feeling state)
21. _______________________(Another feeling state)
22. _______________________(Noun)
23. _______________________(Verb)
24. _______________________(Adjective)
25. _______________________(Adjective)
26. _______________________(Verb)
27. _______________________(Adverb)
28. _______________________(Period of time)
29. _______________________(Verb)
30. _______________________(Niche Group)
31. _______________________(Adjective)
32. _______________________(Adjective)
33. _______________________(Noun)
34. _______________________(Verb)
35. _______________________(Adverb)
36. _______________________(Adjective)
37. _______________________(Alternate spelling of #5)

“An Argument Against the ___1___”

I’m not sure I’m the right person to be ___2___ on the ___1___ as it’s not really my ___3___ of ( ___1___  ___4___) ___5___. I’m more of a ___6___ person. I’m more interested in the ___7___ than the ___1___ . For me, the___1___ is just___8___  —nothing special (by definition), but it does its job of preventing ___9___ when I get home. One can, of course, make claims that there is actually___10___ in the___1___ —as has been done in architecture___11___ times a century since___12___ —but if the everyday is___13___ , it would no longer truly be___1___ . ___1___ is often synonymous with___14___ . And one cannot, by definition, be both___1___ and ___14___ . It’s a contradiction in terms. And so this argument becomes a redefinition of the term “___1___ ” rather than an argument about___15___ . Today the term “___1___ ” in ___15___ is also confused with “___16___ ” or a type of minimal effort.___17___ is a style and I’m not particularly interested in style arguments.

I just wrote about this as a response to Michael___18___ in the most recent issue of___19___ [1] on minimal design effort and “___20___” as a position. I believe the pursuit of the___1___ in___15___ is a form of political ___21___ . As if you’re doing work that supports the___22___ of___1___ life, as it exists today (and every day), you are offering nothing to___23___ it. That means your___24___ efforts are politically___25___ . You can either design for the___1___ in which you___26___, and solve its problems to keep it running___27___, or you can design for the___28___ you want to___29___ —which explains my involvement with___30___ philosophy. I am invested in a project of speculation about___31___, and more___32___ social realities—as I’m not satisfied with the current___33___. If today’s reality is the reality you think we should___34___ in—then, by all means, design for its propagation through producing its___1___ ___15___. Of course, I think we can do better than today’s ___1___ —architecturally, politically, culturally and ___35___ . Now back to my cup of very__36____  ___5___ . My special​-___37___ , as it were…

[1] ___19___ 39, Winter 2017: Observations on Architecture and the Contemporary City.