The U.S. state flags have been unfairly maligned, and "Good Flag, Bad Flag" has been unjustifiably praised.

Every time a state or city in the U.S. sets up a flag redesign committee, the members of that committee are given a copy of the pamphlet "Good Flag, Bad Flag" by Ted Kaye and directed to judge submissions according to its guidelines. There is, though, nothing scientific in that pamphlet's five principles, and some of the information it presents is factually inaccurate.

"Good Flag, Bad Flag": https://nava.org/good-flag-bad-flag

To learn more about Civil War regimental flags:

New York State Military Museum: https://museum.dmna.ny.gov/flags

Pennsylvania Civil War Battle Flags: http://pacivilwarflags.org/

Digital Vermont: https://digitalvermont.org/ (enter "flag" in search box)

ConnecticutHistory.org: https://connecticuthistory.org/hall-of-flags-memorial-to-connecticuts-civil-war-colors/

Delaware Historical Society: https://dehistory.org/regimental-flags-of-the-civil-war/

I purchased the flag of Virginia here: https://store-dgs-virginia-gov.3dcartstores.com/

0:00 The flag redesign movement

0:59 Origin of the classic state flag design

7:25 CGP Grey

7:45 Illinois

10:02 New Jersey

11:47 South Carolina

19:38 "Good Flag, Bad Flag"

20:34 "1. Keep It Simple"

21:33 The state flags are easy to distinguish

25:05 Complex flags are not harder to recognize

27:42 Complex flags do not cost more

30:33 Reversible flags

33:57 Turkmenistan

38:10 "2. Use Meaningful Symbolism"

39:31 Navajo Nation

43:03 "3. Use 2–3 Basic Colors"

44:38 Virginia

49:03 "4. No Lettering or Seals"

49:17 States that put their name on their flag

58:39 Not all text is bad, though

1:04:33 Lettering is not hard to sew

1:05:53 Flag lapel pins

1:09:40 Seals on flags

1:11:26 "5. Be Distinctive or Be Related"

1:11:43 Indonesia

1:16:46 Exceptions to the 5 Principles

1:22:47 "Test Yourself"

1:28:21 What's the point of this pamphlet?

1:29:02 In defense of an older aesthetic

1:31:58 Conclusion