So a couple of weeks ago I recieved the opportunity to redesign a few websites. They were all about the same. They each included a forum and multiple subjects to post comments on. You could also connect to your Facebook account on the site so you could use its information. The difference between the sites was a particular theme. One was on coffee, one on technology, one on animals, and etc. I redesigned two of them. They aren’t that great but I also didn't feel I was paid great either. I basically did as much as I could with the time alotted, plus a little more.

By the third website I felt cheated so I gave up the project. I later found out that the job was given to someone in the Philipines for twenty US dollars! I was stunned. I could never in my wildest dreams survive on that kind of pay. Even if I was the fastest designer alive.

This conclusion made me kind of sad. Not that I didn’t get paid or anything but that this could happen. I love the fact that the web design community is an international force. I love having reachable peers in every corner of the globe but doesn’t it seem unfair that because of price of living, some designers can afford to paid less than others? Yes, an obvious answer is that I could just move to the Philipines (even though I think even in the Philippines that designer was robbed) and be able to survive more on less. Should we though have to do this?

The other thing I must point out is that I might be at a disadvantage in this occasion but more often than not, I am the one with the unfair advantage. Is it not easier for me to go to college in the country? Just because my parents were successful I was blessed with a lot of opportunity. Is that fair? A fair environment for competitive designers should be one where the only thing between each other is our skills and talents; not our location and economic background.

I agree. I am talking a lot about things that can never change. I am asking for a world where we all have the same chances to succeed. That world will never go beyond fantasy because that would hurt too many people. Yes it would help a lot too but that will never matter.

So basically I am just saying that a couple of weeks ago I started wondering if graphic design was to have the same fate as so many other American jobs: outsourced. I hear about outsourcing in the paper all the time and I watch the parody of it on Hulu. If it is the future, I am glad that other people will be blessed with a new job but I’ll be sad if I lose one. I guess that means I just have to work that much harder to be competitive. Damn lucky customers! Hehe.

Either way, I decided to make the design for the third website anyway. I only worked on it for a few hours but I still like it. Its cute and fun.