Darker Theme = Instantly More Professional

It’s funny how making a darker theme than Blender’s default makes it feel more capable.

By default, it looks a bit utilitarian, like “yeah I could manipulate some vertices with this”. But then you turn down the brightness and it turns into “I’m about to make something badass with this”:

Theme file (Can’t just upload it because new user restrictions):

<bpy>
  <Theme>
    <user_interface>
      <ThemeUserInterface
        menu_shadow_fac="0.3"
        menu_shadow_width="4"
        icon_alpha="0.725275"
        icon_saturation="0.5"
        widget_emboss="#ffffff00"
        editor_outline="#000000"
        widget_text_cursor="#9cceed"
        transparent_checker_primary="#181818"
        transparent_checker_secondary="#101010"
        transparent_checker_size="8"
        axis_x="#ff3352"
        axis_y="#8bdc00"
        axis_z="#2890ff"
        gizmo_hi="#ffffff"
        gizmo_primary="#f5f14d"
        gizmo_secondary="#63ffff"
        gizmo_view_align="#ffffff"
        gizmo_a="#4da84d"
        gizmo_b="#a33535"
        icon_scene="#e6e6e6ff"
        icon_collection="#f4f4f4ff"
        icon_object="#ee9e5dff"
        icon_object_data="#00d4a3ff"
        icon_modifier="#84b8ffff"
        icon_shading="#ea7581ff"
        icon_folder="#e3c16eff"
        icon_border_intensity="0"
        >
        <wcol_regular>
          <ThemeWidgetColors
            outline="#181818"
            inner="#181818ff"
            inner_sel="#434b50e6"
            item="#3e3e3eff"
            text="#d9d9d9"
            text_sel="#ffffff"
            show_shaded="FALSE"
            shadetop="0"
            shadedown="-5"
            roundness="0.4"
            >
          </ThemeWidgetColors>
        </wcol_regular>
        <wcol_tool>
          <ThemeWidgetColors
            outline="#181818"
            inner="#181818ff"
            inner_sel="#434b50ff"
            item="#ffffffff"
            text="#e6e6e6"
            text_sel="#ffffff"
            show_shaded="FALSE"
            shadetop="0"
            shadedown="-5"
            roundness="0.4"
            >
          </ThemeWidgetColors>
        </wcol_tool>
        <wcol_toolbar_item>
          <ThemeWidgetColors
            outline="#000000"
            inner="#23232384"
            inner_sel="#5680c2ff"
            item="#e6e6e6cc"
            text="#e6e6e6"
            text_sel="#ffffff"
            show_shaded="FALSE"
            shadetop="0"
            shadedown="0"
            roundness="0.59213"
            >
          </ThemeWidgetColors>
        </wcol_toolbar_item>
        <wcol_radio>
          <ThemeWidgetColors
            outline="#181818"
            inner="#181818ff"
            inner_sel="#434b50e6"
            item="#ffffffff"
            text="#e6e6e6"
            text_sel="#ffffff"
            show_shaded="FALSE"
            shadetop="5"
            shadedown="-5"
            roundness="0.4"
            >
          </ThemeWidgetColors>
        </wcol_radio>
        <wcol_text>
          <ThemeWidgetColors
            outline="#181818"
            inner="#080808ff"
            inner_sel="#181818ff"
            item="#191919ff"
            text="#e6e6e6"
            text_sel="#ffffff"
            show_shaded="FALSE"
            shadetop="-3"
            shadedown="0"
            roundness="0.4"
            >
          </ThemeWidgetColors>
        </wcol_text>
        <wcol_option>
          <ThemeWidgetColors
            outline="#181818"
            inner="#181818ff"
            inner_sel="#8898a2e6"
            item="#181818ff"
            text="#e6e6e6"
            text_sel="#e6e6e6"
            show_shaded="FALSE"
            shadetop="0"
            shadedown="-15"
            roundness="0.4"
            >
          </ThemeWidgetColors>
        </wcol_option>
        <wcol_toggle>
          <ThemeWidgetColors
            outline="#181818"
            inner="#181818ff"
            inner_sel="#434b50e6"
            item="#191919ff"
            text="#e6e6e6"
            text_sel="#ffffff"
            show_shaded="FALSE"
            shadetop="0"
            shadedown="0"
            roundness="0.4"
            >
          </ThemeWidgetColors>
        </wcol_toggle>
        <wcol_num>
          <ThemeWidgetColors
            outline="#181818"
            inner="#181818ff"
            inner_sel="#434b50ff"
            item="#191919ff"
            text="#e6e6e6"
            text_sel="#ffffff"
            show_shaded="FALSE"
            shadetop="0"
            shadedown="0"
            roundness="0.4"
            >
          </ThemeWidgetColors>
        </wcol_num>
        <wcol_numslider>
          <ThemeWidgetColors
            outline="#181818"
            inner="#181818ff"
            inner_sel="#181818ff"
            item="#434b50e6"
            text="#e6e6e6"
            text_sel="#ffffff"
            show_shaded="FALSE"
            shadetop="-4"
            shadedown="0"
            roundness="0.4"
            >
          </ThemeWidgetColors>
        </wcol_numslider>
        <wcol_box>
          <ThemeWidgetColors
            outline="#101010"
            inner="#101010ff"
            inner_sel="#696e76ff"
            item="#191919ff"
            text="#e6e6e6"
            text_sel="#ffffff"
            show_shaded="FALSE"
            shadetop="0"
            shadedown="0"
            roundness="0.405093"
            >
          </ThemeWidgetColors>
        </wcol_box>
        <wcol_menu>
          <ThemeWidgetColors
            outline="#181818"
            inner="#181818ff"
            inner_sel="#434b50ff"
            item="#d9d9d9ff"
            text="#d9d9d9"
            text_sel="#ffffff"
            show_shaded="FALSE"
            shadetop="10"
            shadedown="-10"
            roundness="0.4"
            >
          </ThemeWidgetColors>
        </wcol_menu>
        <wcol_pulldown>
          <ThemeWidgetColors
            outline="#4d4d4d"
            inner="#181818cc"
            inner_sel="#5680c2e6"
            item="#727272ff"
            text="#d9d9d9"
            text_sel="#ffffff"
            show_shaded="FALSE"
            shadetop="25"
            shadedown="-20"
            roundness="0.4"
            >
          </ThemeWidgetColors>
        </wcol_pulldown>
        <wcol_menu_back>
          <ThemeWidgetColors
            outline="#101010"
            inner="#101010ff"
            inner_sel="#585858ff"
            item="#727272ff"
            text="#a5a5a5"
            text_sel="#ffffff"
            show_shaded="FALSE"
            shadetop="25"
            shadedown="-20"
            roundness="0.4"
            >
          </ThemeWidgetColors>
        </wcol_menu_back>
        <wcol_pie_menu>
          <ThemeWidgetColors
            outline="#333333"
            inner="#212121ef"
            inner_sel="#5680c2e6"
            item="#585858ff"
            text="#d9d9d9"
            text_sel="#ffffff"
            show_shaded="FALSE"
            shadetop="10"
            shadedown="-10"
            roundness="0.4"
            >
          </ThemeWidgetColors>
        </wcol_pie_menu>
        <wcol_tooltip>
          <ThemeWidgetColors
            outline="#101010"
            inner="#101010ff"
            inner_sel="#101010ff"
            item="#19191aef"
            text="#e6e6e6"
            text_sel="#ffffff"
            show_shaded="FALSE"
            shadetop="25"
            shadedown="-20"
            roundness="0.4"
            >
          </ThemeWidgetColors>
        </wcol_tooltip>
        <wcol_menu_item>
          <ThemeWidgetColors
            outline="#000000"
            inner="#00000000"
            inner_sel="#434b50e6"
            item="#ffffff8f"
            text="#e6e6e6"
            text_sel="#ffffff"
            show_shaded="FALSE"
            shadetop="38"
            shadedown="0"
            roundness="0.4"
            >
          </ThemeWidgetColors>
        </wcol_menu_item>
        <wcol_scroll>
          <ThemeWidgetColors
            outline="#101010"
            inner="#67676700"
            inner_sel="#b3b3b3ff"
            item="#9b9b9b27"
            text="#e6e6e6"
            text_sel="#ffffff"
            show_shaded="FALSE"
            shadetop="5"
            shadedown="-5"
            roundness="1"
            >
          </ThemeWidgetColors>
        </wcol_scroll>
        <wcol_progress>
          <ThemeWidgetColors
            outline="#585858"
            inner="#2c2c2cff"
            inner_sel="#5680c2ff"
            item="#5680c2ff"
            text="#e6e6e6"
            text_sel="#ffffff"
            show_shaded="FALSE"
            shadetop="0"
            shadedown="0"
            roundness="0.4"
            >
          </ThemeWidgetColors>
        </wcol_progress>
        <wcol_list_item>
          <ThemeWidgetColors
            outline="#2d2d2d"
            inner="#2d2d2d00"
            inner_sel="#434b50ff"
            item="#b3b3b3ff"
            text="#e6e6e6"
            text_sel="#ffffff"
            show_shaded="FALSE"
            shadetop="0"
            shadedown="0"
            roundness="0.4"
            >
          </ThemeWidgetColors>
        </wcol_list_item>
        <wcol_state>
          <ThemeWidgetStateColors
            inner_anim="#53992e"
            inner_anim_sel="#38a600"
            inner_key="#b3ae36"
            inner_key_sel="#b29700"
            inner_driven="#9000cc"
            inner_driven_sel="#9900e6"
            inner_overridden="#00c3c3"
            inner_overridden_sel="#118f8f"
            inner_changed="#cc7529"
            inner_changed_sel="#d26400"
            blend="0.5"
            >
          </ThemeWidgetStateColors>
        </wcol_state>
        <wcol_tab>
          <ThemeWidgetColors
            outline="#080808"
            inner="#080808ff"
            inner_sel="#1e2124ff"
            item="#2d2d2dff"
            text="#989898"
            text_sel="#ffffff"
            show_shaded="FALSE"
            shadetop="0"
            shadedown="0"
            roundness="0.4"
            >
          </ThemeWidgetColors>
        </wcol_tab>
      </ThemeUserInterface>
    </user_interface>
    <view_3d>
      <ThemeView3D
        grid="#4646464d"
        clipping_border_3d="#313131ff"
        wire="#6d6d6d"
        wire_edit="#6d6d6d"
        gp_vertex="#6d6d6d"
        gp_vertex_select="#ff8500"
        gp_vertex_size="3"
        text_grease_pencil="#b5e61d"
        object_selected="#ed5700"
        object_active="#ffa028"
        text_keyframe="#ddd700"
        camera="#6d6d6d"
        empty="#6d6d6d"
        light="#6d6d6dff"
        speaker="#6d6d6d"
        vertex="#6d6d6d"
        vertex_select="#ff7a00"
        vertex_active="#ffffff"
        vertex_size="3"
        vertex_bevel="#00a5ff"
        vertex_unreferenced="#ffffff"
        edge_select="#ffa000"
        edge_seam="#db2512"
        edge_sharp="#00ffff"
        edge_crease="#cc0099"
        edge_bevel="#00a5ff"
        edge_facesel="#4b4b4b"
        freestyle_edge_mark="#7fff7f"
        face="#ffffff02"
        face_select="#ffa5522e"
        face_dot="#ff8a00"
        facedot_size="3"
        freestyle_face_mark="#7fff7f4d"
        face_back="#ff0000b3"
        face_front="#0000ffb3"
        nurb_uline="#909000"
        nurb_vline="#803060"
        nurb_sel_uline="#f0ff40"
        nurb_sel_vline="#f090a0"
        act_spline="#db2512"
        handle_free="#6d6d6d"
        handle_auto="#909000"
        handle_vect="#409030"
        handle_sel_vect="#40c030"
        handle_align="#803060"
        handle_sel_free="#ffffff"
        handle_sel_auto="#f0ff40"
        handle_sel_align="#f090a0"
        lastsel_point="#ffffff"
        extra_edge_len="#150806"
        extra_edge_angle="#4d4d00"
        extra_face_angle="#0000cc"
        extra_face_area="#004d00"
        editmesh_active="#ffffff33"
        normal="#22dddd"
        vertex_normal="#2361dd"
        split_normal="#dd23dd"
        bone_pose="#50c8ff"
        bone_pose_active="#8cffff"
        bone_solid="#b2b2b2"
        bone_locked_weight="#ff000080"
        bundle_solid="#c8c8c8"
        camera_path="#6d6d6d"
        skin_root="#b44d4d"
        view_overlay="#ffffff"
        transform="#ffffff"
        frame_current="#60c040"
        paint_curve_handle="#7fff7f7f"
        paint_curve_pivot="#ff7f7f7f"
        outline_width="1"
        object_origin_size="6"
        >
        <space>
          <ThemeSpaceGradient
            title="#eeeeee"
            text="#e6e6e6"
            text_hi="#ffffff"
            header="#0a0a0aff"
            header_text="#eeeeee"
            header_text_hi="#ffffff"
            button="#0a0a0a00"
            button_title="#ffffff"
            button_text="#e5e5e5"
            button_text_hi="#ffffff"
            navigation_bar="#000000ff"
            execution_buts="#00000000"
            tab_active="#1e2124"
            tab_inactive="#0a0a0a"
            tab_back="#0a0a0aff"
            tab_outline="#0a0a0a"
            >
            <gradients>
              <ThemeGradientColors
                background_type="SINGLE_COLOR"
                high_gradient="#020202"
                gradient="#000000"
                >
              </ThemeGradientColors>
            </gradients>
            <panelcolors>
              <ThemePanelColors
                header="#181818ff"
                back="#101010ff"
                sub_back="#0a0a0aff"
                >
              </ThemePanelColors>
            </panelcolors>
          </ThemeSpaceGradient>
        </space>
      </ThemeView3D>
    </view_3d>
    <graph_editor>
      <ThemeGraphEditor
        grid="#101010"
        frame_current="#5680c2"
        time_scrub_background="#0a0a0ae6"
        time_marker_line="#00000060"
        time_marker_line_selected="#ffffff60"
        window_sliders="#969696"
        channels_region="#181818"
        dopesheet_channel="#0f2c4d"
        dopesheet_subchannel="#143e66"
        channel_group="#16330f"
        active_channels_group="#368024"
        preview_range="#a14d0066"
        vertex="#6d6d6d"
        vertex_select="#ff8500"
        vertex_active="#ffffff"
        vertex_size="6"
        vertex_bevel="#6d6d6d"
        vertex_unreferenced="#6d6d6d"
        handle_free="#6d6d6d"
        handle_auto="#909000"
        handle_vect="#409030"
        handle_sel_vect="#40c030"
        handle_align="#803060"
        handle_sel_free="#6d6d6d"
        handle_sel_auto="#f0ff40"
        handle_sel_align="#f090a0"
        handle_auto_clamped="#994030"
        handle_sel_auto_clamped="#f0af90"
        lastsel_point="#ffffff"
        handle_vertex="#6d6d6d"
        handle_vertex_select="#ff8500"
        handle_vertex_size="5"
        >
        <space>
          <ThemeSpaceGeneric
            back="#0a0a0a"
            title="#ffffff"
            text="#a6a6a6"
            text_hi="#ffffff"
            header="#0a0a0aff"
            header_text="#eeeeee"
            header_text_hi="#ffffff"
            button="#0a0a0a00"
            button_title="#ffffff"
            button_text="#e5e5e5"
            button_text_hi="#ffffff"
            navigation_bar="#0a0a0a00"
            execution_buts="#00000000"
            tab_active="#1e2124"
            tab_inactive="#0a0a0a"
            tab_back="#0a0a0aff"
            tab_outline="#0a0a0a"
            >
            <panelcolors>
              <ThemePanelColors
                header="#181818cc"
                back="#101010b3"
                sub_back="#0a0a0a3e"
                >
              </ThemePanelColors>
            </panelcolors>
          </ThemeSpaceGeneric>
        </space>
        <space_list>
          <ThemeSpaceListGeneric
            list="#0a0a0a"
            list_title="#ffffff"
            list_text="#b8b8b8"
            list_text_hi="#ffaf29"
            >
          </ThemeSpaceListGeneric>
        </space_list>
      </ThemeGraphEditor>
    </graph_editor>
    <file_browser>
      <ThemeFileBrowser
        selected_file="#4f76b3"
        row_alternate="#101010ff"
        >
        <space>
          <ThemeSpaceGeneric
            back="#0a0a0a"
            title="#ffffff"
            text="#e6e6e6"
            text_hi="#ffffff"
            header="#0a0a0aff"
            header_text="#eeeeee"
            header_text_hi="#ffffff"
            button="#0a0a0aff"
            button_title="#ffffff"
            button_text="#e5e5e5"
            button_text_hi="#ffffff"
            navigation_bar="#00000000"
            execution_buts="#0a0a0aff"
            tab_active="#1e2124"
            tab_inactive="#0a0a0a"
            tab_back="#0a0a0aff"
            tab_outline="#0a0a0a"
            >
            <panelcolors>
              <ThemePanelColors
                header="#181818ff"
                back="#101010ff"
                sub_back="#05050593"
                >
              </ThemePanelColors>
            </panelcolors>
          </ThemeSpaceGeneric>
        </space>
      </ThemeFileBrowser>
    </file_browser>
    <nla_editor>
      <ThemeNLAEditor
        grid="#2a2a2a"
        view_sliders="#969696"
        dopesheet_channel="#5a85b2"
        nla_track="#424242"
        active_action="#cc701a66"
        active_action_unset="#9987614d"
        preview_range="#a14d0066"
        strips="#0c0a0a"
        strips_selected="#ff8c00"
        transition_strips="#1c2630"
        transition_strips_selected="#2e75db"
        meta_strips="#332642"
        meta_strips_selected="#692196"
        sound_strips="#2b3d3d"
        sound_strips_selected="#1f7a7a"
        tweak="#4df31a"
        tweak_duplicate="#d90000"
        keyframe_border="#000000ff"
        keyframe_border_selected="#000000ff"
        frame_current="#5680c2"
        time_scrub_background="#0a0a0a80"
        time_marker_line="#00000060"
        time_marker_line_selected="#ffffff60"
        >
        <space>
          <ThemeSpaceGeneric
            back="#0a0a0a"
            title="#ffffff"
            text="#a6a6a6"
            text_hi="#ffffff"
            header="#0a0a0aff"
            header_text="#eeeeee"
            header_text_hi="#ffffff"
            button="#0a0a0aff"
            button_title="#ffffff"
            button_text="#e5e5e5"
            button_text_hi="#ffffff"
            navigation_bar="#00000000"
            execution_buts="#00000000"
            tab_active="#1e2124"
            tab_inactive="#0a0a0a"
            tab_back="#0a0a0aff"
            tab_outline="#0a0a0a"
            >
            <panelcolors>
              <ThemePanelColors
                header="#181818cc"
                back="#101010b3"
                sub_back="#0a0a0a3e"
                >
              </ThemePanelColors>
            </panelcolors>
          </ThemeSpaceGeneric>
        </space>
        <space_list>
          <ThemeSpaceListGeneric
            list="#0a0a0a"
            list_title="#ffffff"
            list_text="#b8b8b8"
            list_text_hi="#ffaf29"
            >
          </ThemeSpaceListGeneric>
        </space_list>
      </ThemeNLAEditor>
    </nla_editor>
    <dopesheet_editor>
      <ThemeDopeSheet
        grid="#101010"
        frame_current="#5680c2"
        time_scrub_background="#0a0a0a80"
        time_marker_line="#00000060"
        time_marker_line_selected="#ffffff60"
        value_sliders="#000000"
        view_sliders="#c0c0c0"
        dopesheet_channel="#0f2c4d24"
        dopesheet_subchannel="#143e6624"
        channels="#18181800"
        channels_selected="#60c04044"
        channel_group="#16330f37"
        active_channels_group="#36802455"
        long_key="#18181880"
        long_key_selected="#ff8c00cc"
        keyframe="#e8e8e8"
        keyframe_selected="#ffbe33"
        keyframe_extreme="#e8b3cc"
        keyframe_extreme_selected="#f28080"
        keyframe_breakdown="#b3dbe8"
        keyframe_breakdown_selected="#54bfed"
        keyframe_jitter="#94e575"
        keyframe_jitter_selected="#61c042"
        keyframe_movehold="#5c5656"
        keyframe_movehold_selected="#ffaf23"
        keyframe_border="#000000ff"
        keyframe_border_selected="#000000ff"
        keyframe_scale_factor="1"
        summary="#4d250066"
        preview_range="#a14d0066"
        interpolation_line="#94e575cc"
        >
        <space>
          <ThemeSpaceGeneric
            back="#0a0a0a"
            title="#eeeeee"
            text="#a6a6a6"
            text_hi="#ffffff"
            header="#0a0a0aff"
            header_text="#eeeeee"
            header_text_hi="#ffffff"
            button="#0a0a0aff"
            button_title="#ffffff"
            button_text="#e5e5e5"
            button_text_hi="#ffffff"
            navigation_bar="#0a0a0a00"
            execution_buts="#00000000"
            tab_active="#1e2124"
            tab_inactive="#0a0a0a"
            tab_back="#0a0a0aff"
            tab_outline="#0a0a0a"
            >
            <panelcolors>
              <ThemePanelColors
                header="#181818cc"
                back="#101010b3"
                sub_back="#0a0a0a3e"
                >
              </ThemePanelColors>
            </panelcolors>
          </ThemeSpaceGeneric>
        </space>
        <space_list>
          <ThemeSpaceListGeneric
            list="#0a0a0a"
            list_title="#ffffff"
            list_text="#b8b8b8"
            list_text_hi="#ffaf29"
            >
          </ThemeSpaceListGeneric>
        </space_list>
      </ThemeDopeSheet>
    </dopesheet_editor>
    <image_editor>
      <ThemeImageEditor
        grid="#101010ff"
        vertex="#6d6d6d"
        vertex_select="#ff8500"
        vertex_active="#6d6d6d"
        vertex_size="3"
        vertex_bevel="#6d6d6d"
        vertex_unreferenced="#6d6d6d"
        face="#ffffff0a"
        face_select="#ff85003c"
        face_dot="#ff8500"
        facedot_size="3"
        freestyle_face_mark="#7fff7f33"
        face_back="#00000000"
        face_front="#00000000"
        editmesh_active="#ffffff40"
        wire_edit="#6d6d6d"
        edge_select="#ff8500"
        scope_back="#727272ff"
        preview_stitch_face="#7f7f0033"
        preview_stitch_edge="#ff00ff33"
        preview_stitch_vert="#0000ff33"
        preview_stitch_stitchable="#00ff00ff"
        preview_stitch_unstitchable="#ff0000ff"
        preview_stitch_active="#e1d2c323"
        uv_shadow="#707070ff"
        frame_current="#60c040"
        metadatabg="#000000"
        metadatatext="#ffffff"
        handle_free="#6d6d6d"
        handle_auto="#909000"
        handle_align="#803060"
        handle_sel_free="#6d6d6d"
        handle_sel_auto="#f0ff40"
        handle_sel_align="#f090a0"
        handle_auto_clamped="#6d6d6d"
        handle_sel_auto_clamped="#6d6d6d"
        handle_vertex="#6d6d6d"
        handle_vertex_select="#ffff00"
        handle_vertex_size="5"
        paint_curve_handle="#7fff7f7f"
        paint_curve_pivot="#ff7f7f7f"
        >
        <space>
          <ThemeSpaceGeneric
            back="#0a0a0a"
            title="#eeeeee"
            text="#e6e6e6"
            text_hi="#ffffff"
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</bpy>

Yes, the visual appeal of a product, or in your case a software, can have a profound psychological impact on our initial evaluation of it. Much like how a premium red wine presented in an elegant bottle may be perceived as more desirable and of higher quality compared to the same wine packaged in a basic, no-frills bottle.

While you may argue that darker themed user interfaces appear more capable, I think not. The association between capability and UI design is subjective and influenced by personal experiences. As someone who has been accustomed to looking at professional software with bright themes created in the 90s and early 2000s, I still perceive these interfaces as capable and trustworthy. My familiarity with this aesthetic has instilled a sense of confidence in me.

For instance, my subconscious acknowledges the professional nature of the software in the following screenshot, despite it to be a factual shit today:

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Might also throw functionality into the equation as well, when I’m modeling dense poly ‘soup’ complex meshes I’ll tend too darken the viewport just a teeny bit, which really saves the eyeballs from overly squinting at each and every vertex, for the sake of precision.

It is just what people think as professional (in terms of UI) has changed markedly in the last 20 years and it is generally being driven more by what is trending rather than how much functionality it presents.

In some cases, the light UIs in the pre-XP days are in fact better, since for starters they had buttons with bevels (so you know at a glance what is a button). On the other hand, they had to work with the limitations presented by low-resolution CRT monitors and were generally more straining on the eyes if being used in a dark room.

Not everything that is trendy is superior, for instance, I still think threads with pages are at times a better design choice for forums compared to endless scrolling.

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Not only limited to computer software UI, this widespread trend that specifically emphasizes simplification drives across various industries, including architecture, fashion, car design, logotypes, you name it. This shift is likely attributable to the growing mass production during the industrial era, where cost-effectiveness became a primary concern for many consumers. However, a counter-trend has begun to emerge, with some politicians opting for more traditional architectural designs and aesthetics, as people increasingly recognize that cost-effectiveness and trends alone do not guarantee happiness or well-being. Furthermore, some software developers have started incorporating visual elements such as shading and color to differentiate flat icons and enhance user experience.

Edit: Updated the opening text in this reply slightly to highlight that I am specifically talking about simplification of UI design, got a bit off track lol, had two thoughts in my head at the same time and confused it.

In addition, a bright UI can also enhance user comfort when working in well-lit environments. For instance, if your workspace is filled with sun light, a bright UI can be more pleasing for the eyes compared to a darker design.

Certainly not. In my opinion, individuals should prioritize practicality and personal preference when making decisions. While I acknowledge that humans possess an inherent inclination towards social cohesion and conformity within their respective groups or communities, I firmly believe that this trend-following mentality has become excessive and detrimental to genuine self-expression and growth.