LAW 45: Some of us are makers

Recently i discovered/rediscovered yet another way that we humans divide ourselves. I am sure that you are all quite familiar with many of the 'standard' divisions that we have come up with, all of which are designed to separate us. You know, black and white, rich and poor, have and have not. Historically we have used race, income, education, talent, birth, shape, age and many other potentially divisive markers to make ourselves special and others, well, not so.

Mungo and i spent the last week, one of the hottest of this summer, building a wooden sailing dingy. Building our PuddleDuck Racer was a lot of fun, and of course, work. It was through the course of this build that i realized that people, at least people of a certain level of affluence in  this country also divide themselves in a very significant fashion into makers and consumers. Numerous times in the past week we were asked, what are you doing? Why are you making this? Are you going to……. with many variations of the basic query that indicated most, if not all of our interlocutors thought that we were likely, well, crazy.

moraine starting the name

The bottom line appears to be why would you want to build(MAKE) something if you could buy it?!? My first, admittedly flippant response, why would i want to buy something that i could make, flip or not holds significant truth.

yes, you really can find anything on the internet

If i think about it i can come up with at least three reasons that a majority of people would prefer to buy rather than build. The first and likely most compelling reason would be instant gratification. Making takes time, buying generally does not. Making does take specific skill sets. Learning how to do something takes time and practice, time that many of us are unwilling to commit to.  Making takes a level of self confidence, a willingness to fail, to play the fool. Somehow in the past fifty years it has become more chic, more in, more, well more, to be a consumer. Somehow the possession of commercially made objects has become a symbol; a status symbol, a symbol of worth, a symbol of success.

sail's up, away we go!

I just don't buy this. I have been a maker pretty much all my  life. I love making things; beautiful things, functional things. I love the feelings of pride, of accomplishment, success. I love the rush, the high, the feeling of completion that comes from finishing a project. Whatever that project is. Be it finishing and launching the Dharma Duck, which Mungo and i did yesterday;  or placing the last stitch in my newest embroidery piece; or eating a new, experimental  dinner with friends(yes, the grilled octopus was delicious), making something and experiencing the thrill of its completion, its use is ever so fulfilling.

detail summer sun banner

oh my! Ever so yummy

I have been a maker all my life. Are you?



More later,
Morgainne