How can I design when I don't know anything about the world?!

I actually feel embarrassed about how little I know about the world. I know this is such a gargantuan topic that I can barely touch on but the fact is, I probably don't have a clue. And I have to say 'probably' because I don't technically know what there is to know.  Too much. But so much, and I'm intrigued to learn and experience it. 

I came to this conclusion after yesterdays lecture with Jonathon, where he said 'designers are not creative', then going on to argue his case crazily well and by the end of the session I just thought, 'Man, I' never going to design anything spectacular when I know nothing to begin with!'. He used an example of the One Laptop Per Child scheme creating laptops for children of Africa that cost less than $100 to make. Excuse me for a second but is it not true that many of these developing countries hardly have money for food, let alone a laptop. Who is going to each them how to use them?! Rory Reid, writes on his blog from the gadget blog, CNET UK;

'It's almost poetic that the poorest nations in the world have the potential to push the Western tech industry in a new direction. Don't get us wrong -- we love fast, outlandish laptops and PCs as much as the next blog, but we'd be idiots not to show you the alternative. And what a fantastic alternative it is. We predict some very interesting, and money-saving times ahead. -Rory Reid'

No wonder the company went bust. How can you create an effective design when you don't even know what you are designing for? 

I could go into this for ever and ever and ever but the point I'm trying to get across here is my frustration about how little I know and how much I want to know aka as much as I can. I think I will be about 80 years old before I know enough about the world to be able to create a life changing design. Luckily for me it is the best excuse to get out into the world and experience it.

'Designers are not creative': 'Designers are Wankers' - While I was browsing 'crap designs' and why they are just not relevant to the world they are created in I came across this. They have teamed up with Grafix magazine to uncover the design writers of the future. It looks like a good networking site not just for chat but to experience other ideas, intriguing and some controversial but questioning design and what 'sucks'. Check it out at;

http://www.designersarewankers.com/vpage.jsp?vpage_id=18826