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CAPS LOCK:: How Capitalism Took Hold of Graphic Design, and How to Escape from It
Capitalism could not exist without the coins, banknotes, documents, information graphics, interfaces, branding, and advertisements made by graphic designers. Even anti-consumerist strategies such as social design and speculative design are appropriated to serve economic growth. It seems design is locked in a cycle of exploitation and extraction, furthering inequality and environmental collapse. CAPS LOCK uses clear language and visual examples to show how graphic design and capitalism are inextricably linked. The book features designed objects and also examines how the study, work, and professional practice of designers support the market economy. Six radical design cooperatives are featured that resist capitalist thinking in their own way, hoping to inspire a more socially aware graphic design.
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First published January 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
December 18, 2021
Man, what a tough book to review. As a graphic designer, I've been waiting for someone to write it–my peers in the design world complain about life under capitalism with very little understanding of what capitalism is or how designers grease its gears. It's an engaging read on the history of design and the symbiotic relationship it has with an incredibly exploitative economic system, and shows us some beautiful & thought provoking work along the way.
However, as a socialist I can't help but wish that the author had written this a few more years into his political education. There are some promising quotes from Marx sprinkled throughout, but after 500 pages of convincing the reader that capitalism is bad and other ways of organizing society are possible, we come to his conclusion that "Anti-capitalist alternatives such as state socialism and communism have been tried, and so far, have turned out to be as repressive and exploitative as capitalism." This is plainly false and I implore the author and other curious readers to learn more socialist revolutions, particularly those in the Global South.
In Cuba*, the revolution nationalized United Fruit (now known as Chiquita, they waged a campaign of terror throughout Latin America, including funding death squads in Colombia to kill union organizers & protect their banana profits) and distributed the land to the campesinos who worked it. Socialism gave workers back their dignity, taught the poor to read, eliminated homelessness, prioritizes the environment, and sends doctors around the world on humanitarian projects like Operation Miracle. The cruel US embargo that prevents almost all outside trade is why Cuba remains impoverished to this day. In Bolivia*, the MAS party has also resulted in huge reductions in poverty, increased literacy and civil rights, and the fastest growing GDP in Latin America. Vietnam* is socialist and has one of the highest rates of home ownership in the world, and equitably distributes a parcel of land to all rural residents. I could go on but that's enough of an overview for this little review!
So yeah, solid work from a design education standpoint, and I appreciate it as an introduction to anti-capitalist thought. However, we are never going to truly escape capitalism until we understand that socialism–overthrowing the capitalist class and moving to collective worker ownership of the means of production, which is what Marx advocated for–is the answer.
*All countries the United States has either gone to war with or attempted coups in an effort to prove that "socialism doesn't work."
However, as a socialist I can't help but wish that the author had written this a few more years into his political education. There are some promising quotes from Marx sprinkled throughout, but after 500 pages of convincing the reader that capitalism is bad and other ways of organizing society are possible, we come to his conclusion that "Anti-capitalist alternatives such as state socialism and communism have been tried, and so far, have turned out to be as repressive and exploitative as capitalism." This is plainly false and I implore the author and other curious readers to learn more socialist revolutions, particularly those in the Global South.
In Cuba*, the revolution nationalized United Fruit (now known as Chiquita, they waged a campaign of terror throughout Latin America, including funding death squads in Colombia to kill union organizers & protect their banana profits) and distributed the land to the campesinos who worked it. Socialism gave workers back their dignity, taught the poor to read, eliminated homelessness, prioritizes the environment, and sends doctors around the world on humanitarian projects like Operation Miracle. The cruel US embargo that prevents almost all outside trade is why Cuba remains impoverished to this day. In Bolivia*, the MAS party has also resulted in huge reductions in poverty, increased literacy and civil rights, and the fastest growing GDP in Latin America. Vietnam* is socialist and has one of the highest rates of home ownership in the world, and equitably distributes a parcel of land to all rural residents. I could go on but that's enough of an overview for this little review!
So yeah, solid work from a design education standpoint, and I appreciate it as an introduction to anti-capitalist thought. However, we are never going to truly escape capitalism until we understand that socialism–overthrowing the capitalist class and moving to collective worker ownership of the means of production, which is what Marx advocated for–is the answer.
*All countries the United States has either gone to war with or attempted coups in an effort to prove that "socialism doesn't work."
July 3, 2022
I don't know that I'd recommend a 500+ page book about design and capitalism to people who aren't interested in at least one of those two topics, but for those who like both, this is a pretty good read. Most design books are pretentious, corporate-flattering snoozefests, so it was nice to read a thorough critique of many ways that design facilitates the continuation of capitalism—and how design could maybe not do that.
There's a lot of discussion about how graphic design (or any design, really) is an instrument of capitalism, keeping the wheels spinning and adding legitimacy to the whole enterprise. This book encouraged me to consider the design of legal documents, currency, credit cards, passports, maps, signage, corporate branding and advertisements. All of these things are omnipresent in our lives, but I hadn't stopped to really consider them—and to remember that they are all designed by people for specific political, cultural, and/or financial purposes. This book is great for making you actually look at the objects in your life and say, "Huh, yeah, I never thought about that."
My favorite part of this book was the discussion of the designer as a worker under capitalism. One can't really look at designed objects without also thinking through the conditions under which they are designed, so I appreciated that the author took the time to discuss design labor itself. He provides a standard explanation of exploitation using Marxist labor theory of value framework (hey, your employer's profits come from them paying you less than the value of the wealth you create), which is a concrete and accessible intro to Marx's thought for those who aren't familiar with it. This section also lays down a solid critique of the "my job is my passion" dream job idea. This pernicious idea is all too prevalent in the design world, and it is primarily a tool used to extract more work from people for less money. This book advocates for less work and more laziness—a philosophy I can get behind.
Because this is an anticapitalist book, the author takes great pains to discuss how working for nonprofits, doing pro bono work, or designing posters for protest movements is nice and all, but it doesn't solve the root of the problem, which is that capitalism causes people to need nonprofits and charities in the first place. This is antithetical to most mainstream activist design discussion, where it's fine if we all collect fat corporate paychecks as long as we give a bit of our time and skills to charities on the side. I appreciated that this book pushes readers to go beyond what traditional design activism looks like and think deeply about how designers could actually change the system we live in instead of just putting bandaids over it.
With that said, the most disappointing part of the book was the author's muddled visions for the future. First of all, considering he wrote a long, detailed anticapitalist design book, the author has a surprisingly superficial understanding of what communism and socialism actually are. A few times, the author pointed out how capitalism has failed people, but then goes on to say that communism and state socialism have failed as well. I wish the author had explained his point in more detail, and done a better job of distinguishing between actual communist and socialist practice and say... contemporary China or Stalinist Russia. These regimes may call themselves communist but taking them at face value betrays a lack of understanding about what communism actually is. This book is definitely anticapitalist but it does not seem to have a great grasp on what the alternatives to capitalism actually are.
The author concludes the book with several case studies of design organizations that attempt to exist outside of the capitalist marketplace. These organizations are held up as ideals for other designers to aspire to, but their situations don't actually seem viable for most people. The people working at these anticapitalist design studios frequently lived with their parents, got a car from their parents, had a second well-paying job, or lived as extreme minimalists. I didn't feel particularly inspired by these stories, as this lifestyle still feels completely out of reach for anyone without a well-off family, anyone who has children to support, or anyone with medical issues that require frequent care (notably, none of the anticapitalist design organizations were based in the US). It was disheartening that even these modest visions of design outside of capitalism are not sustainable unless you have family support, a second job, and no children to raise.
Overall, I did really like this book, but more as a critique of past and present design practice rather than as a prescription for design's anticapitalist future. Considering its length, this book is a surprisingly quick read. It has a good narrative flow from chapter to chapter, and the pictures are great. It feels weird to say "I liked the pictures," but the photographs and illustrations are probably the most compelling part of this book. It is unsurprisingly well designed.
One petty note: this book has a ton of comma splices, grammatical errors, and messy writing. The book is great, but it deserved a better editor.
There's a lot of discussion about how graphic design (or any design, really) is an instrument of capitalism, keeping the wheels spinning and adding legitimacy to the whole enterprise. This book encouraged me to consider the design of legal documents, currency, credit cards, passports, maps, signage, corporate branding and advertisements. All of these things are omnipresent in our lives, but I hadn't stopped to really consider them—and to remember that they are all designed by people for specific political, cultural, and/or financial purposes. This book is great for making you actually look at the objects in your life and say, "Huh, yeah, I never thought about that."
My favorite part of this book was the discussion of the designer as a worker under capitalism. One can't really look at designed objects without also thinking through the conditions under which they are designed, so I appreciated that the author took the time to discuss design labor itself. He provides a standard explanation of exploitation using Marxist labor theory of value framework (hey, your employer's profits come from them paying you less than the value of the wealth you create), which is a concrete and accessible intro to Marx's thought for those who aren't familiar with it. This section also lays down a solid critique of the "my job is my passion" dream job idea. This pernicious idea is all too prevalent in the design world, and it is primarily a tool used to extract more work from people for less money. This book advocates for less work and more laziness—a philosophy I can get behind.
Because this is an anticapitalist book, the author takes great pains to discuss how working for nonprofits, doing pro bono work, or designing posters for protest movements is nice and all, but it doesn't solve the root of the problem, which is that capitalism causes people to need nonprofits and charities in the first place. This is antithetical to most mainstream activist design discussion, where it's fine if we all collect fat corporate paychecks as long as we give a bit of our time and skills to charities on the side. I appreciated that this book pushes readers to go beyond what traditional design activism looks like and think deeply about how designers could actually change the system we live in instead of just putting bandaids over it.
With that said, the most disappointing part of the book was the author's muddled visions for the future. First of all, considering he wrote a long, detailed anticapitalist design book, the author has a surprisingly superficial understanding of what communism and socialism actually are. A few times, the author pointed out how capitalism has failed people, but then goes on to say that communism and state socialism have failed as well. I wish the author had explained his point in more detail, and done a better job of distinguishing between actual communist and socialist practice and say... contemporary China or Stalinist Russia. These regimes may call themselves communist but taking them at face value betrays a lack of understanding about what communism actually is. This book is definitely anticapitalist but it does not seem to have a great grasp on what the alternatives to capitalism actually are.
The author concludes the book with several case studies of design organizations that attempt to exist outside of the capitalist marketplace. These organizations are held up as ideals for other designers to aspire to, but their situations don't actually seem viable for most people. The people working at these anticapitalist design studios frequently lived with their parents, got a car from their parents, had a second well-paying job, or lived as extreme minimalists. I didn't feel particularly inspired by these stories, as this lifestyle still feels completely out of reach for anyone without a well-off family, anyone who has children to support, or anyone with medical issues that require frequent care (notably, none of the anticapitalist design organizations were based in the US). It was disheartening that even these modest visions of design outside of capitalism are not sustainable unless you have family support, a second job, and no children to raise.
Overall, I did really like this book, but more as a critique of past and present design practice rather than as a prescription for design's anticapitalist future. Considering its length, this book is a surprisingly quick read. It has a good narrative flow from chapter to chapter, and the pictures are great. It feels weird to say "I liked the pictures," but the photographs and illustrations are probably the most compelling part of this book. It is unsurprisingly well designed.
One petty note: this book has a ton of comma splices, grammatical errors, and messy writing. The book is great, but it deserved a better editor.
Read
March 2, 2025Despite the rather nice design of the book, the tracking in this book is pretty badly done, but it was my 420th book read and 69th review written. A moment worth commemorating.
In all seriousness, CAPSLOCK was a very solid read; Pater covered a lot across multiple topics to better contextualize the impact of graphic design historically, especially to illustrate how it diverts attention from the evils of bureaucracy and western imperialism throughout history. It demonstrated the performative nature of design advocacy and design thinking as systems used by designers today, as well as providing alternatives. Think examples and interviews from design collectives and using specific design projects to demonstrate how design can be wielded.
All that to say, a book critiquing capitalism that heavily quotes Marx (and the Communist Manifesto itself) as frequently but barely discusses communism outside a brief comment on how it has failed was rather odd. It just felt like the book was missing something without it, and doesn't touch much (if at all) on design work done in Asia, Africa, or Eastern Europe. I think this is an oversight of a book that so heavily critiques capitalism and Western involvement in other countries.
I got a lot out of this read, but it does leave me wanting to read further on the sources it quoted to further expand my thoughts. This would be an interesting read within the academic spaces of Graphic Design since it introduces a lot of ideas that could allow students to expand their approach to the creative process, and makes for a better think piece on how to use design for social causes than the current curriculum.
In all seriousness, CAPSLOCK was a very solid read; Pater covered a lot across multiple topics to better contextualize the impact of graphic design historically, especially to illustrate how it diverts attention from the evils of bureaucracy and western imperialism throughout history. It demonstrated the performative nature of design advocacy and design thinking as systems used by designers today, as well as providing alternatives. Think examples and interviews from design collectives and using specific design projects to demonstrate how design can be wielded.
All that to say, a book critiquing capitalism that heavily quotes Marx (and the Communist Manifesto itself) as frequently but barely discusses communism outside a brief comment on how it has failed was rather odd. It just felt like the book was missing something without it, and doesn't touch much (if at all) on design work done in Asia, Africa, or Eastern Europe. I think this is an oversight of a book that so heavily critiques capitalism and Western involvement in other countries.
I got a lot out of this read, but it does leave me wanting to read further on the sources it quoted to further expand my thoughts. This would be an interesting read within the academic spaces of Graphic Design since it introduces a lot of ideas that could allow students to expand their approach to the creative process, and makes for a better think piece on how to use design for social causes than the current curriculum.
October 21, 2021
On page 117 out of 516 and I find CAPS LOCK amazing. It's a very captivating read - I am biased as I appreciate non-fiction.
I should warn that some graphic designers picking up this book might be disappointed by the lack of focus on their discipline. I myself am merely a political memer so I'm looking for the theory and trivia.
As a political philosophy and history analysis so far, the book has been a very enjoyable, accessible and insightful read.
I should warn that some graphic designers picking up this book might be disappointed by the lack of focus on their discipline. I myself am merely a political memer so I'm looking for the theory and trivia.
As a political philosophy and history analysis so far, the book has been a very enjoyable, accessible and insightful read.
May 7, 2025
detta va en veldig spennanes read :D boka tar for sæ designeran sin plass i kapitalismen, både historisk sett og i moderne tid. boka e proppfull av kule bilda og layouten i boka e så kul at æ synes det e synd man ikke kan bla litt i den hær på goodreads :P men hvis æ får besøk kan æ vise den fram
December 24, 2021
The ambition of this book is the most impressive part of it. Pater views design through countless different lenses, and writes about the history of capitalism going all the way back to origins in ancient civilizations. On top of that, the book is extremely well designed (also Pater’s work) with many interesting visual references.
The content is generally provocative. Pater is at his best when providing historical context (I learned a lot) and critiquing existing design practices.
Many of his opinions are hot takes - he argues, for example, that UX design is heavily inspired by the gambling industry. He doesn’t offer much evidence for most of his claims, but that’s ok. There’s a lot to think about and much opportunity for the reader to make up their own minds.
I found that Pater’s solutions to the ills of capitalist design were vague and shallow. They are a small part of the book and could have been removed.
The book is absolutely riddled with typos, to the point where it seems like the text is almost an afterthought. The publisher needs to do better if they are going to keep releasing critical texts, otherwise they risk not being taken seriously.
The content is generally provocative. Pater is at his best when providing historical context (I learned a lot) and critiquing existing design practices.
Many of his opinions are hot takes - he argues, for example, that UX design is heavily inspired by the gambling industry. He doesn’t offer much evidence for most of his claims, but that’s ok. There’s a lot to think about and much opportunity for the reader to make up their own minds.
I found that Pater’s solutions to the ills of capitalist design were vague and shallow. They are a small part of the book and could have been removed.
The book is absolutely riddled with typos, to the point where it seems like the text is almost an afterthought. The publisher needs to do better if they are going to keep releasing critical texts, otherwise they risk not being taken seriously.
November 20, 2022
Brutal read. Strongest parts are when the author is tying the history of money and markets to graphic design, and making an impassioned case for designers to start organizing their workplaces. But all of his quotes from Marx and material analysis completely disappear when he brings up alternatives to the status quo. He concludes that communism and socialism have only failed us, and that the way out of this machine is through local, non-hierarchical co-ops and “mutual aid” networks (that are nothing more than charity organizations with a different name) that are barely able to stay afloat. He looks in the eyes of a global economic system that has conquered every aspect of life, and suggests that if only designers took more effort to care for their local communities, we could nip this beast. There is no critical engagement with any of the alternatives he proposes, and he does not apply the Marxist analysis he references in earlier chapters. I wish the last 2/3 of the book actually attempted to explore how design could confront the economic rot of the system through scaleable measures, and if not, what does that mean for the role of the designer.
January 4, 2022
Ruben Pater nailed the visuals in this book. It was vigorously illustrated, with a lot of attention towards font hierarchies and image selection. It’s a deceptively short read as the thickness accounts for such a large amount of images and references which really helped navigate each of Pater’s topics and points. The full page images were strong anchors, along with several juxtapositions of images which were very thought provoking.
The main problem I had was with the amount of topics, speaking points and conclusions. The writing got pretty redundant towards the middle and though Pater dug into each topic thoroughly it didn’t leave much room for a coherent conclusion for each part. Thus the author couldn’t expand on some really complex ideas quoted by the likes of Ivan Illich, Sylvia Federici, and Hito Steyerl, among many others. It risked over-simplifying. The repeated call to actions would have been more effective if saved for a stronger conclusion rather than broken into many sections. Pater also saved some pretty bold claims for these conclusions which couldn’t be fully explained or were not explicitly mentioned. The momentum was also broken up with the introduction of each new topic, in which the author would do a sort of history crash course of said topic. That repetitive outline didn’t do the design of the book justice.
Nevertheless the main motif of the book was a really effective provocation. Since each chapter resulted in the discussion of a sort of “commons,” Pater was able to develop that discussion fully, which resulted in a conclusion more effective than the individual parts.
I hope to come back to this book for its all sorts of references to art, photography, activism and protest, and will certainly take inspiration from Ruben Pater’s attention to the books’ design.
The main problem I had was with the amount of topics, speaking points and conclusions. The writing got pretty redundant towards the middle and though Pater dug into each topic thoroughly it didn’t leave much room for a coherent conclusion for each part. Thus the author couldn’t expand on some really complex ideas quoted by the likes of Ivan Illich, Sylvia Federici, and Hito Steyerl, among many others. It risked over-simplifying. The repeated call to actions would have been more effective if saved for a stronger conclusion rather than broken into many sections. Pater also saved some pretty bold claims for these conclusions which couldn’t be fully explained or were not explicitly mentioned. The momentum was also broken up with the introduction of each new topic, in which the author would do a sort of history crash course of said topic. That repetitive outline didn’t do the design of the book justice.
Nevertheless the main motif of the book was a really effective provocation. Since each chapter resulted in the discussion of a sort of “commons,” Pater was able to develop that discussion fully, which resulted in a conclusion more effective than the individual parts.
I hope to come back to this book for its all sorts of references to art, photography, activism and protest, and will certainly take inspiration from Ruben Pater’s attention to the books’ design.
July 28, 2024
This book didn’t really live up to its promise. The first part was really great, and I spoke to a lot of people about what I learned about the history of designing money, branding, and advertising. I could see how design and capitalism play hand in hand. But then it got very logistical for people in the graphic design profession- you might say, of course, that’s what the book is about. But I thought the book was going to be technical, about how design itself has been influenced by capitalism. I mean it’s called CAPS LOCK. That seems to reference a design choice that may appeal more to consumers, for example, but the book didn’t discuss that at all. Instead, it’s about the logisitics of a career in graphic design and basically convincing you to leave your job and start an anti-capitalist art collective. Not really for me. But I learned something from the beginning part at least.
September 29, 2025
a gem for the modern leftist design
February 25, 2024
It was a good read especially the first half but later I started reading ideas and thoughts I already knew from my time in KABK. And the last part about activists was quite boring for me. Nevertheless, the book presented quite a few innovative ideas that will open the eyes of many young designers.
October 27, 2021
It is a pleasurable, eye-opening read full of well remixed facts and speculations that, combined together, form a powerful story about the relationship between graphic design and capitalism.
Reading Ruben Pater’s CAPS LOCK is a bit like watching Adam Curtis’ documentaries — you can hear a single voice traversing a broad range of fascinating ideas, which are all connected by a series of historical evidence and the narrator’s propositions.
In the book, the author ruminates and speculates on designer’s various roles in society, and through those lens, establishes the tangled relationship between capitalism and graphic design.
Lots of fascinating histories and implicit connections gradually help you shape up your own lens of that relationship, leading eventually and effectively to the realization that the seriousness of the matter is not to be dismissed.
And with that diagnosis, the author offers observed ideas that might lead to potential prescriptions - activism, movements, and beyond.
This is probably one of best books to start exploring graphic design’s role in society, as long as the reader keeps their critical eyes open.
The question is: is that relationship between capitalism and graphic design unique?
I’m not so sure, even after I finished the book.
What’s so special about capitalism when it comes to graphic design? After all, capitalism, as a concept, is not really at the same abstraction level as graphic design does. We might use a critical eye and say that any kind of “ism” surely takes hold of graphic design, not because that “ism” is similar to capitalism, but perhaps because graphic design permeates almost everything we can observe, and whatever we happen to see, becomes the things we associate with graphic design. Unfortunately, whenever we open our eyes, we see capitalism. If we opened our eyes and saw communism, would we also establish a relationship between that and graphic design? It seems we would and could just as well write a book about it.
That is not to say that the author’s diagnosis is wrong. I’m simply saying that, capitalism is not a loner in that tangled relationship with graphic design. Or maybe, capitalism is too big a concept to explore any kind of relationship with it, in the same sense that, it’d probably be an overkill to use the concept of the universe to explore its relationship with Hawaii, unless, of course, you’re a philosopher or anthropologist or the like.
Therefore, attributing capitalism to everything that’s wrong about graphic design seems at least debatable.
No doubt, capitalism permeates everything that’s wrong about graphic design, because it permeates everything about graphic design. In fact, it permeates way too many things in a world dominated by global economic and political systems. But that doesn’t mean there’s always a clear cause-and-effect explanation to anything wrong with any specific.
Graphic design is coupled with visual culture. And visual culture is inevitably entangled with the world systems, including capitalism.
In order to move forward, maybe we not only need to look ahead, but also need to move beyond, beyond a single focus on capitalism.
This book is one of the greatest starting points for that journey.
Reading Ruben Pater’s CAPS LOCK is a bit like watching Adam Curtis’ documentaries — you can hear a single voice traversing a broad range of fascinating ideas, which are all connected by a series of historical evidence and the narrator’s propositions.
In the book, the author ruminates and speculates on designer’s various roles in society, and through those lens, establishes the tangled relationship between capitalism and graphic design.
Lots of fascinating histories and implicit connections gradually help you shape up your own lens of that relationship, leading eventually and effectively to the realization that the seriousness of the matter is not to be dismissed.
And with that diagnosis, the author offers observed ideas that might lead to potential prescriptions - activism, movements, and beyond.
This is probably one of best books to start exploring graphic design’s role in society, as long as the reader keeps their critical eyes open.
The question is: is that relationship between capitalism and graphic design unique?
I’m not so sure, even after I finished the book.
What’s so special about capitalism when it comes to graphic design? After all, capitalism, as a concept, is not really at the same abstraction level as graphic design does. We might use a critical eye and say that any kind of “ism” surely takes hold of graphic design, not because that “ism” is similar to capitalism, but perhaps because graphic design permeates almost everything we can observe, and whatever we happen to see, becomes the things we associate with graphic design. Unfortunately, whenever we open our eyes, we see capitalism. If we opened our eyes and saw communism, would we also establish a relationship between that and graphic design? It seems we would and could just as well write a book about it.
That is not to say that the author’s diagnosis is wrong. I’m simply saying that, capitalism is not a loner in that tangled relationship with graphic design. Or maybe, capitalism is too big a concept to explore any kind of relationship with it, in the same sense that, it’d probably be an overkill to use the concept of the universe to explore its relationship with Hawaii, unless, of course, you’re a philosopher or anthropologist or the like.
Therefore, attributing capitalism to everything that’s wrong about graphic design seems at least debatable.
No doubt, capitalism permeates everything that’s wrong about graphic design, because it permeates everything about graphic design. In fact, it permeates way too many things in a world dominated by global economic and political systems. But that doesn’t mean there’s always a clear cause-and-effect explanation to anything wrong with any specific.
Graphic design is coupled with visual culture. And visual culture is inevitably entangled with the world systems, including capitalism.
In order to move forward, maybe we not only need to look ahead, but also need to move beyond, beyond a single focus on capitalism.
This book is one of the greatest starting points for that journey.
August 25, 2025
CAPS LOCK by Ruben Pater was an absolute surprise. A couple of months ago, I purchased a few design books and 'as a bonus' received the book Do Design: Why Beauty is Key to Everything by Alan Moore, which earned my sad 2 stars. This may end in an ugly comparison, but I can't stop feeling lured into another male-centered discourse that reduces the complex topics of the design discipline into a brittle philosophy of aesthetics over anything and everything.
I had my fair share of far-fetched opinions during my university years, and I certainly don't need more 'universal beauty' and timeless principles grounded in a male-centered, Western-centric canon. These are concepts that, for me, are culturally specific and historically rooted in exclusionary practices that format the design minds of young students and perpetuate a lack of confrontation with systematic issues in design. The focus on beauty and 'good design' obscures who gets to define these terms and whose interests they serve. This depoliticization is exactly what allows design to continue serving corporate interests (blindly) while offering the illusion of creative independence.
Now, I'm not an abolitionist when it comes to the corporate needs of design. We need to be practical, but also critical. This should start with how we learn and teach, and that's where I find myself drawn to Pater's work. CAPS LOCK is not here to criticize everything we're doing wrong, it's easy to criticize, and we have history to remind us of that. This book is a practical guide, written in clear language, that addresses these systematic issues and encourages critical thinking through a colourful collection of references to works and people.
Design, like many other disciplines, possesses a web of roles. Designers are practitioners, but also students, teachers, sometimes hackers, activists, and futurists. We are passive educators when we expose and present our work (educators of our values, references, and society) and thus capable of projecting different value systems and ways of thinking that aren't solely profit-driven. Yet again, Pater is not forsaking anyone who profits from the well-oiled capitalist machine; everyone needs to make a living. But this decision, like others, has an impact, and we should be aware of it.
What I also appreciated the most was also the reminder of the designer as a student outside of the academy. It's a message of humility and openness that we most often forget. The worst that can happen is to fall victim to our own content and 'expert' status. This approach ultimately leads to more responsible and radical design practices that serve broader social needs rather than just commercial interests.
I had my fair share of far-fetched opinions during my university years, and I certainly don't need more 'universal beauty' and timeless principles grounded in a male-centered, Western-centric canon. These are concepts that, for me, are culturally specific and historically rooted in exclusionary practices that format the design minds of young students and perpetuate a lack of confrontation with systematic issues in design. The focus on beauty and 'good design' obscures who gets to define these terms and whose interests they serve. This depoliticization is exactly what allows design to continue serving corporate interests (blindly) while offering the illusion of creative independence.
Now, I'm not an abolitionist when it comes to the corporate needs of design. We need to be practical, but also critical. This should start with how we learn and teach, and that's where I find myself drawn to Pater's work. CAPS LOCK is not here to criticize everything we're doing wrong, it's easy to criticize, and we have history to remind us of that. This book is a practical guide, written in clear language, that addresses these systematic issues and encourages critical thinking through a colourful collection of references to works and people.
Design, like many other disciplines, possesses a web of roles. Designers are practitioners, but also students, teachers, sometimes hackers, activists, and futurists. We are passive educators when we expose and present our work (educators of our values, references, and society) and thus capable of projecting different value systems and ways of thinking that aren't solely profit-driven. Yet again, Pater is not forsaking anyone who profits from the well-oiled capitalist machine; everyone needs to make a living. But this decision, like others, has an impact, and we should be aware of it.
What I also appreciated the most was also the reminder of the designer as a student outside of the academy. It's a message of humility and openness that we most often forget. The worst that can happen is to fall victim to our own content and 'expert' status. This approach ultimately leads to more responsible and radical design practices that serve broader social needs rather than just commercial interests.
February 20, 2022
Osoby zajmujące się projektowaniem, lubią mówić o swojej pracy jako o ,,rozwiązywaniu problemów”. Z tymi mitami rozprawiał się już od lat 70. Victor Papanek, dla którego bliska relacja dizajnu i kapitalizmu była oczywista. Papanek skupiał się oczywiście głównie na wzornictwie przemysłowym. Ruben Pater pisze natomiast o swojej profesji - projektowaniu graficznym.
,,CAPS LOCK” to świetnie złożona publikacja, odsłaniająca polityczne i spekulatywne aspekty pracy projektowej. Autor analizuje, jak projektowanie pod różnymi postaciami pomaga budować i wzmacniać system destrukcji planety. Przygląda się też strategiom projektowego oporu.
Tematy są tak potężne, że każdy z rozdziałów mógłby być osobną bibułą. Nie trzeba czytać po kolei - każdy z nich to samograj i do wielu z nich będę jeszcze nie raz wracać.
Książka nie zawiera upragnionej przez wszystkich recepty, ale wiadomo że łatwiej wyobrazić sobie koniec świata niż koniec kapitalizmu, więc nie mam pretensji.
Polecam wszystkim zainteresowanym projektowaniem i poszerzeniem horyzontów.
,,CAPS LOCK” to świetnie złożona publikacja, odsłaniająca polityczne i spekulatywne aspekty pracy projektowej. Autor analizuje, jak projektowanie pod różnymi postaciami pomaga budować i wzmacniać system destrukcji planety. Przygląda się też strategiom projektowego oporu.
Tematy są tak potężne, że każdy z rozdziałów mógłby być osobną bibułą. Nie trzeba czytać po kolei - każdy z nich to samograj i do wielu z nich będę jeszcze nie raz wracać.
Książka nie zawiera upragnionej przez wszystkich recepty, ale wiadomo że łatwiej wyobrazić sobie koniec świata niż koniec kapitalizmu, więc nie mam pretensji.
Polecam wszystkim zainteresowanym projektowaniem i poszerzeniem horyzontów.
March 3, 2025
Gillar den historiska överblicken i början men annars inget fan tbh. Ett stort anslag att skriva en sån här bok, kanske skulle den tjänat på att RP bjöd in medförfattare som skrev vissa kapitel? Vissa böcker refererades det till otroligt många gånger, medan utdragen därifrån bara var skrapande på ytan, olika teorier blev extremt förenklade osv. Vissa kapitel eller stycken skulle t.ex. göra sig bättre som en hel bok osv. Tycker det var lite töntigt med alla salta one-liners som sammanfattade typ varje stycke. Roligt med exempel på alternativa sätt att arbeta som designer som alternativ till hur RP målar upp den branschen men tyckte formen för intervjuerna var torr och att den delen skulle må bättre av lite mer liv typ. Hur ser en dag ut? Lite fler exempel på hur arbetsprocesser har sett ut, eller att det tar nån annan form som passar deras arbete kanske. Fint med många bilder, synd att det på flera ställen var helt omöjligt att läsa bildtexten. Också rätt dåligt korrad med felstavningar, typ glömt att feta en av alla bokstäver i underrubrikerna osv. Hade väl inga riktiga förväntningar på denna men blev ändå besviken när jag sett hur hypad den är?
December 1, 2023
Pater is adept at breaking complex concepts down into understandable and readable chapter. This is a small brick of a book but one that captures the current investigation that graphic design is having with capitalism, in a manner that evades over-intellectualizing the subject. The result is a practical and accessible book worthy of today’s designers attention.
August 22, 2025
this book was really interesting but seemed disorganized. i dont think the "how to escape from capitalism" section was successful but the history of graphic design and capitalism was eye-opening.
didn't love his self-inserts of his designs that were quite literally memes (and not even good ones) and also thought there was a lack of perspectives from non-white design history
didn't love his self-inserts of his designs that were quite literally memes (and not even good ones) and also thought there was a lack of perspectives from non-white design history
April 10, 2024
I really wanted to like this book and the second I opened it I saw that the foreword was written by the worst design professor I had in college...
February 12, 2025
Várias crises existenciais com a profissão refletidas na página, e várias inspirações de ação possíveis pra enfrentar o capitalismo
April 15, 2024
the single most important book i have ever read.
we designers often struggle with the ideas behind the things we’re paid to create, and their effects on society. we rarely have the opportunity or freedom to do the type of work we REALLY want to do - work that’s objectively of and for the greater good. our craft has been shackled by profit and it doesn’t seem like many of us, especially those wrapped up in tech and whipped by tech salaries, are thinking about this at all. but ruben pater is. pater sees directly to the core truth of our world and unfolds each hypocrisy one by one.
a lot of the ideas presented here won't be revolutionary to those already part of the choir, but pater presents them all in an engaging, thought-provoking, and - most importantly - easily understandable way. it's a simple read, like his first book, though sometimes dense with historical background, and often upsetting. it took me an embarrassingly long time to finish these 500 pages because of how often i had to stop and think about what i just read, and all the implications therein.
there is no capitalism without design, and now, there's rarely design without capitalism. it feels like a relationship that’s impossible to untangle, but only when we understand how we got here can we begin to move forward and ultimately past it. this book should be the first stop for all new designers, taught in all design curriculums, and referenced often by creators in every industry.
we designers often struggle with the ideas behind the things we’re paid to create, and their effects on society. we rarely have the opportunity or freedom to do the type of work we REALLY want to do - work that’s objectively of and for the greater good. our craft has been shackled by profit and it doesn’t seem like many of us, especially those wrapped up in tech and whipped by tech salaries, are thinking about this at all. but ruben pater is. pater sees directly to the core truth of our world and unfolds each hypocrisy one by one.
a lot of the ideas presented here won't be revolutionary to those already part of the choir, but pater presents them all in an engaging, thought-provoking, and - most importantly - easily understandable way. it's a simple read, like his first book, though sometimes dense with historical background, and often upsetting. it took me an embarrassingly long time to finish these 500 pages because of how often i had to stop and think about what i just read, and all the implications therein.
there is no capitalism without design, and now, there's rarely design without capitalism. it feels like a relationship that’s impossible to untangle, but only when we understand how we got here can we begin to move forward and ultimately past it. this book should be the first stop for all new designers, taught in all design curriculums, and referenced often by creators in every industry.
January 26, 2022
Lots of interesting stuff in here, but pretty polemical and poorly edited. Spelling errors in the first few pages and an impressive lack of citations.
August 11, 2022
What an appealing premise, and a topic that needs serious attention from designers. But in execution, sort of a messy middle ground: heavy on the broad strokes — if you will, the subtitle’s “HOW CAPITALISM TOOK HOLD OF GRAPHIC DESIGN” (which is probably already familiar to most who would pick up a book with this title to begin with) — and light on the “… AND HOW TO ESCAPE FROM IT”.
Of late I’ve noticed a troubling line of thought (at least in certain overly online circles) that goes something like “there is no ethical employment under capitalism (so I might as well get PAID)”. Whereas I’d like to optimistically think that there is room to take better jobs, align one's employment to one's politics, maneuver and advocate. (Commensurate to one’s existing privilege and/or as one’s career advances)
Having previously done work as bureaucratic as institutional form design (a topic briefly covered in the book) I think there are genuine design practices that can be put into practice — for example, ensuring a form has gender-inclusive language and formatting, is accessible to screen readers, is co-created with the communities it will benefit, etc. I wouldn’t mind a book like this, that dives a little more into the nitty gritty of “what does post-capitalist design look like on a DESIGN level” rather than on a SYSTEMS level (which seems to always boil down to, “start your own collective and hope for the best when it comes to clients/compensation”).
Still, steps in the right direction! I hope some undergrads get assigned this as a textbook and have their malleable young minds expanded.
Of late I’ve noticed a troubling line of thought (at least in certain overly online circles) that goes something like “there is no ethical employment under capitalism (so I might as well get PAID)”. Whereas I’d like to optimistically think that there is room to take better jobs, align one's employment to one's politics, maneuver and advocate. (Commensurate to one’s existing privilege and/or as one’s career advances)
Having previously done work as bureaucratic as institutional form design (a topic briefly covered in the book) I think there are genuine design practices that can be put into practice — for example, ensuring a form has gender-inclusive language and formatting, is accessible to screen readers, is co-created with the communities it will benefit, etc. I wouldn’t mind a book like this, that dives a little more into the nitty gritty of “what does post-capitalist design look like on a DESIGN level” rather than on a SYSTEMS level (which seems to always boil down to, “start your own collective and hope for the best when it comes to clients/compensation”).
Still, steps in the right direction! I hope some undergrads get assigned this as a textbook and have their malleable young minds expanded.
December 13, 2025
Wow no sé cómo explicar este libro. Creo que es un libro que todos los diseñadores deberían tener, leer, explicar, y pensar con él.
Porque es un libro de pensar, de repensar lo que llevas haciendo todos estos años y cómo contribuyes a un sistema sin darte cuenta. De cómo una profesión que muchos tachan de anecdótica puede ayudar a crear sistemas tan complejos como es el actual capitalismo. Cómo la vorágine de la sociedad y las tendencias y la falta de reflexión nos llevan hacia sistemas muy bien establecidos.
Obviamente el libro está escrito desde un punto de vista individual, y hasta comienza haciendo hincapié de cómo es un libro bastante ensayístico y de punto de vista propio.
La organización en sí me parece muy interesante, no solo por el repaso histórico, sino por adentrarse mucho dentro de cada aspecto en el que el diseño está implicado: desde los billetes y las hojas de excel hasta las marcas que todos conocemos.
Y creo que, de las partes más interesantes, es la final. Los colectivos y las ideas que propone al final que te hacen ver cómo se puede estar un poquito alejado del sistema.
Personalmente, creo que es complicado que todos aboguemos por el modelo disruptivo que propone el libro. Pero si todos lo leyéramos desde un estadio temprano, quizás podríamos repensar colectivamente en mejores prácticas, mejores límites, mejores condiciones para nuestra profesión y mejores formas de organizarnos. Mejores formas de utilizar nuestras habilidades para el bien común y del planeta :))
Por favor, leedlo todos. Diseñador o no, te hace pensar. Y hoy en día, eso tiene un valor incalculable <3
Porque es un libro de pensar, de repensar lo que llevas haciendo todos estos años y cómo contribuyes a un sistema sin darte cuenta. De cómo una profesión que muchos tachan de anecdótica puede ayudar a crear sistemas tan complejos como es el actual capitalismo. Cómo la vorágine de la sociedad y las tendencias y la falta de reflexión nos llevan hacia sistemas muy bien establecidos.
Obviamente el libro está escrito desde un punto de vista individual, y hasta comienza haciendo hincapié de cómo es un libro bastante ensayístico y de punto de vista propio.
La organización en sí me parece muy interesante, no solo por el repaso histórico, sino por adentrarse mucho dentro de cada aspecto en el que el diseño está implicado: desde los billetes y las hojas de excel hasta las marcas que todos conocemos.
Y creo que, de las partes más interesantes, es la final. Los colectivos y las ideas que propone al final que te hacen ver cómo se puede estar un poquito alejado del sistema.
Personalmente, creo que es complicado que todos aboguemos por el modelo disruptivo que propone el libro. Pero si todos lo leyéramos desde un estadio temprano, quizás podríamos repensar colectivamente en mejores prácticas, mejores límites, mejores condiciones para nuestra profesión y mejores formas de organizarnos. Mejores formas de utilizar nuestras habilidades para el bien común y del planeta :))
Por favor, leedlo todos. Diseñador o no, te hace pensar. Y hoy en día, eso tiene un valor incalculable <3
April 29, 2022
My professor gifted me a copy of this book after I expressed an interest in reading it shortly after attending one of Ruben Pater's virtual book presentations in 2021.
While it took me longer to get through than I expected, this book was an absolute pleasure to read. Pater walks the reader through the history of graphic design through the eyes of capitalism (or perhaps the history of capitalism through the eyes of graphic design?) to show how both have been intertwined for centuries. He then goes on to shed some light on the impact of design on the planet, the current design job market (as of 2021/2022), the actual cost of pursuing an education in design, the reality of freelancing and design internships/apprenticeships, and the future of graphic design as a potentially more socially aware practice.
Regardless of the stage of your design career you happen to find yourself in, this book will change how you see design both as an individual practice and a major force for social change.
While it took me longer to get through than I expected, this book was an absolute pleasure to read. Pater walks the reader through the history of graphic design through the eyes of capitalism (or perhaps the history of capitalism through the eyes of graphic design?) to show how both have been intertwined for centuries. He then goes on to shed some light on the impact of design on the planet, the current design job market (as of 2021/2022), the actual cost of pursuing an education in design, the reality of freelancing and design internships/apprenticeships, and the future of graphic design as a potentially more socially aware practice.
Regardless of the stage of your design career you happen to find yourself in, this book will change how you see design both as an individual practice and a major force for social change.
April 13, 2024
CAPS LOCK funciona como una suerte de atlas visual y textual. En él, Ruben Pater despliega de manera sintética un gran número de ideas, imágenes, preguntas, discursos, autores, libros y proyectos ofreciéndonos una hoja de ruta desde la que comenzar a pensar e investigar ética, estética y críticamente el binomio diseño gráfico-capitalismo. Escribo “comenzar”, dado que Pater nos ofrece breves introducciones y conclusiones de multitud de temas complejos que requerirían de una mayor profundidad para su mejor comprensión.
Por otro lado, aprecio mucho la importancia que el libro da a las imágenes, ya que estas no están subordinadas al texto, sino que trazan —en una suerte de conversación— su propio discurso. También valoro mucho la búsqueda de proyectos de diseño alternativos y la honestidad con la son presentados: con sus bondades y dificultades relacionales, económicas, culturales, etc.
Libro muy recomendado!
Gracias Ruben <3
Por otro lado, aprecio mucho la importancia que el libro da a las imágenes, ya que estas no están subordinadas al texto, sino que trazan —en una suerte de conversación— su propio discurso. También valoro mucho la búsqueda de proyectos de diseño alternativos y la honestidad con la son presentados: con sus bondades y dificultades relacionales, económicas, culturales, etc.
Libro muy recomendado!
Gracias Ruben <3
September 30, 2025
CAPS LOCK by Ruben Pater is a bold and necessary interrogation of graphic design’s deep entanglement with capitalism. Pater strips away the glossy veneer of branding, advertising, and visual communication to reveal how design not only thrives within capitalism but actively sustains it, fueling inequality, consumerism, and environmental harm. What sets this book apart is its accessibility: written in clear, direct language and illustrated with striking visual examples, it’s as engaging as it is unsettling.
Beyond critique, Pater highlights six radical design collectives who challenge capitalist structures through cooperative, socially driven practices. This gives the book a vital balance of exposure and hope, pointing to ways design can move beyond profit and exploitation. A must-read for designers, students, and anyone curious about the hidden power dynamics behind the images that shape our world.
Beyond critique, Pater highlights six radical design collectives who challenge capitalist structures through cooperative, socially driven practices. This gives the book a vital balance of exposure and hope, pointing to ways design can move beyond profit and exploitation. A must-read for designers, students, and anyone curious about the hidden power dynamics behind the images that shape our world.
April 18, 2025
Wow! Bravo! He disfrutado, aprendido y reflexionado inmensamente con este libro.
Compra (porque el libro esta bien diseñado y es bonito de por si) y lectura obligatoria a cualquier diseñador, artista gráfico, tipógrafo, publicista…
CAPS LOCK nos muestra extensa y minuciosamente la relación entre el capitalismo y el diseño.
Ruben Pater mira tanto al pasado como al futuro y pasa por muchos campos (historia, branding, publicidad, diseño gráfico, educación...) para poder enseñarnos esta relación de forma completa, sus efectos y que alternativas o estrategias en respuesta al capitalismo existen.
Y si te quedas con ganas de más, el libro nos da pistas e hilos de donde tirar con numerosas referencias a otros documentos, libros, …
¡Un diez!
“Debemos imaginar las sociedades con menos productos y mejores relaciones sociales”
Compra (porque el libro esta bien diseñado y es bonito de por si) y lectura obligatoria a cualquier diseñador, artista gráfico, tipógrafo, publicista…
CAPS LOCK nos muestra extensa y minuciosamente la relación entre el capitalismo y el diseño.
Ruben Pater mira tanto al pasado como al futuro y pasa por muchos campos (historia, branding, publicidad, diseño gráfico, educación...) para poder enseñarnos esta relación de forma completa, sus efectos y que alternativas o estrategias en respuesta al capitalismo existen.
Y si te quedas con ganas de más, el libro nos da pistas e hilos de donde tirar con numerosas referencias a otros documentos, libros, …
¡Un diez!
“Debemos imaginar las sociedades con menos productos y mejores relaciones sociales”
Read
May 9, 2025Really interesting and insightful, but could have used another editing pass, as the constant flow of minor grammatical errors broke up the reading quite a lot. It was beautifully put together, and I loved the visuals (I think half the book was pictures, which made it a quick read). The one section that felt a little uneven to me was the part at the end where he interviewed design collectives. The descriptions of the groups' activities were very vague, and I wondered why he didn't include any groups from Asia or Africa (the rest of the book also focused mostly on Europe, North America, and South America). Still worth reading, and I'll keep it on my shelf. I'm not a designer, but I think a lot of the ideas here can be applied to any creative art.
October 25, 2022
while i haven’t read this from front to back, i’ve been using this religiously as a reference book throughout the 3rd year of my design bachelors. i’m a changed person from this. pater’s insights have been especially helpful as i’m studying contemporary design curricular. after reading this, i’m pretty turned off by entering the design industry at all, imo. but i’m inspired by the idea of design cooperatives and unions working against the system and hope to see these theories incorporated into universities and the design landscape in australia.
my iphone keyboard is not set to sentence caps, how do it change it?
my iphone keyboard is not set to sentence caps, how do it change it?
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