Flying Cars, Human Nature and Space Ships

I don't know how many times I've heard the question, "Where are the flying cars I was promised?".


The 1950s were famous for post-war optimism. This optimism led to some pretty crazy ideas which then led to some pretty crazy aesthetics for all sorts of things - products, architecture, cars and even the space race. I wanted to look back at this mainly because of my previous post regarding the VW Golf. The other thing happening right now that made me think of this is the presidential race and all the exciting, maddening events as well as the propaganda as a result.


As a designer, human nature always fascinates me. It affects how and why people buy things, the way they use things and therefore, how things are designed. I bring up the flying car thing because it's the perfect metaphor for all this regression I've been talking about. Sorry to VW for taking the brunt of it but I tend to be harder on them because they have some of the most potential. I could easily throw in many others like Renault, Ford, Giugiaro and my focus this time around - GM.

GM was the epitome of the space-aged concept car back then. Rocket-themed cars graced the car show floors all the time and some even made it (albeit in toned down versions) to the production line. Check out some of these concepts below.


My biggest problem with this issue is that like politics, if we could only get passed petty differences, be honest with ourselves and drop our egos, work together for a common good and evolve - we could get to an AMAZING place not only in design but also in society. So all we have to do is deny our Human Nature and we'd be fine, right? Sounds impossible, huh?

This is something I work toward every day at my job as many others do at their jobs. I call it "having my cake and eating it too". For example, a constant discussion we have at work is profits vs. eco-friendly product. Keeping low prices vs. enhancing brand identity. My passion is to make it so that everyone wins. So that the bean counters are happy and so are the vegans, the tree-huggers and the core customers. This doesn't mean making something for everyone - that's a big mistake GM makes. The number of brands they have, the utter size of their operation and the number of cooks in their HUUUUGE kitchen, don't allow for refined, profitable and sought-after products.

The challenge is knowing what the customer will want when you design your product 1, 4 or even 10 years in advance of when the customer will actually see it. But I think as a whole, if you come out with a solid, well designed product you will do ok. If you come out with an outstanding product, whether or not it does well in a focus group, I think will sell well and the right people will embrace it.



Take the iPod for example. Who would of thought men would buy a glossy white MP3 player when they were ALWAYS black and silver prior to that? The reason is because it was bad ass! It was the coolest thing around and no matter how gay something seems to marketing execs, the influential youth that make or break popularity will embrace it. Ever heard of UGG boots? Skinny jeans? TOMS shoes? 80's inspired saturated colors? The "Man Blouse"? The iPhone?
Lots of people are making lots of money from these "fads".

To Be Continued...