The Selfish Gene
Book Cover
Size: 5.1 x 7.6 x 1.5 in
This is a set of three book covers redesigned for Richard Dawkins’ The Selfish Gene. The main concepts of each covers are all inspired by Dawkins’ quote, “we are survival machines—robot vehicles blindly programmed to preserve the selfish molecules known as genes,” in the book.
• Concept
Dawkins sates that we are “structured machines” for the gene’s long-time survival, and we still have survived genetic information from the sapiens days. Based on that notion, I created a blueprint-themed cover to indicate that our genes are “designed” like machines from since human nation was a sapiens. I used very light weighted vellum paper covering colored paper to imitate the actual quaility of blueprints.
• Concept
In the book, Dawkins stresses that our lives as humans are not ours, but it’s more about how genes teaches us to live. The importance of human as an individual is faded when it comes to the selfish gene’s survival. For the new book cover, the portrait of humans are pixelated until they are unrecognizable, conveying the concept; our existence is all about the genes, not individual human beings.
• Concept
Dawkins regarded us, humans as “programed” machines for the genes. Based on that notion, the image of humans’ gene test is converted into a computer language source. In this way, the new book cover conveys Dawkins’ idea of us being programed like computers and machines for genes’ survival.
