In the modern atmosphere of Western capitalism, most designers are accustomed to working for paying clients who require first-world solutions to first-world problems. This includes creating corporate logos and identities, making graphical user interfaces for retail sites, and even engineering intuitive office spaces and buildings for large corporations. Outside the frame of first-world design, however, exists a network of "responsible" or "ethical" design solutions aimed at sustainability and humanitarianism. The juxtaposition of these two sides of design brings forth the important question of ethics. Do designers have an obligation to apply their skills to solving the environmental, humanitarian, economic, and educational issues that persist throughout the globe? Or is the status quo of commercial focus acceptable? The majority of literature in this field that I have reviewed points towards the former.
