Please, don't limit my liberty!

A few weeks ago I saw "Helvetica", a brilliantly done documentary on the aforementioned font. More than a font's history, it was a history of design at large, or the last sixty years of it.

One of the questions the film explored was whether the medium should be neutral, therefore capable of expressing many messages, or should the medium BE the message. Creators of Helvetica hoped to design a neutral, universal medium.

One of the designers interviewed in the film said that since the mandatory draft notices in the U.S. during the Vietnam war were in Helvetica (along will all other governmental documents to this day), to her and other graphic design hippies the font WAS the war. So much for neutral medium.

Ever since I saw this film, I became obsessed with words. I hunt for Helvetica (it's EVERYWHERE), and ponder all sorts of signage to which I paid no attention before.

I walked by this red Jeep Liberty with Stella today and was struck by the combination of "Liberty" and "Limited Edition". Hmmm... Conspiracy and double meanings surround me!!! ;)