• The growing trend of tearing down redesigns reveals a sad, toxic culture in the design industry
• We chat with folks from agencies with first-hand experience of this trend that’s hurting the industry far more than it’s helping it

In 2026, everyone has an opinion. And not only do we all have opinions, but we all have the means to share those hot takes with the masses, whenever we want, on ever-multiplying online platforms with global reach.

So it’s really no wonder this power has insidiously created a culture of snap judgments and big opinions shouted from the proverbial rooftops of the internet about literally every topic under the sun. Of course, there are those insipid perennial favorites, like the debate over whether pineapple belongs on pizza (we can give that one a rest, right?), but then there are the far more dangerous and damning ideas poisoning our minds, like rhetoric from the “manosphere.” As we know all too well, the design industry is far from immune to the phenomenon of big, bold declarations with a toxic impact. In fact, it’s proven to be a realm where this type of behavior thrives.