Josh Brewer
Principal Designer at Twitter and co-creator of 52 Weeks Of UX
The If I Could Do It All Over Again Questionnaire.
What would be your first word?
‘Please’ would be my first word. Quickly followed by ‘thank you’. I have learned that attaining the things you really want is as simple as asking for it. There is a principle: you have not because you ask not. And I have found that asking for anything should come from a place of gratitude and humility, regardless of whether you get it or not.
What would be the first record you would buy?
Kind of Blue, by Miles Davis. I discovered it after I had been playing music for a while and it completely changed the way I thought about music. I was spellbound, completely absorbed by the sounds that came out of this group of musicians. I studied the arrangements, the melodies, the interplay of the band members. I dug into the history and found that this magical work had come about by providing masters of their craft a new, simple framework in which to express themselves and was captured in only a few takes. Mind-blowing to this day and something that inspires me in the work I do.
What would be the first book you would read?
The Bible. It remains one of the most important works of literature in history. It has been used to justify terrible indiscretions and been the source of much bloodshed throughout the ages. But it has also been the source of hope to innumerable hopeless and peace to those who could not find it anywhere else. For me, it has been a constant reminder that we are capable of far more than we can imagine, that each of us has a destiny. It is up to each of us to choose to take a step toward that destiny each day.
What would be the first movie you would watch of all the movies released to this day?
Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back. No question. There are so many amazing mini-stories in this movie, so much symbolism. It is full of adventure, self-discovery, romance, coming-of-age, good-vs-evil, deep issues like abandonment and betrayal, as well as loyalty and friendship, the thing that connect us all (the Force) and of course, light sabers.
How would you handle your first break-up?
If we are talking about the first time I was being broken-up with, and there was nothing I could do to change her mind, I would probably go home and listen to The Cure alone in my bedroom. Then I would go skateboarding. Then I would find the girl that I thought was absolutely out of my league and I had no chance in hell of ever dating and walk right up and kiss her… impending slap-across-the-face be damned! If we are talking about me breaking up with someone, then I would make sure to be as kind and honest as possible. I would do it in person and I would make sure that there was no way that other people would have reason to make fun of the other person.
What would you study and which professional path would you choose?
I would study and absorb as much as possible from as many sources as I could find. I would absolutely spend more time learning how to write programs for computers and getting a deeper understanding of business/economics. However, all these things would be a compliment to my professional path: Design. I love what I do. I consider myself fortunate to have found my passion and have the opportunity to practice my craft every day. If I had to do it all over again, I would push myself to focus on Design as a professional path as early as possible. I would make sure I had time to do things like study typography at the University of Reading or Cooper Union, apprentice in a printshop, or intern at MoMA.
What would you never do again?
Compromise my own integrity. Without giving away too much, I simply would choose to do what I say and say what I mean no matter the cost. Someone once told me, ‘your reputation is the hardest thing to build and the easiest to destroy’. It’s all about our choices.
Filed In: Web Building
February 10, 2012 at 8:00 am