Make:

That's a pretty neat info graphic.

It makes me think of some interesting philosophical questions, like: for all that information, are we actually any smarter? Is the current college graduate any more prepared to solve problems and create solutions than one graduating 10, 20, or 30 years ago?

I don't have the answers, and I'm sure there aren't clear yes or no's to them.

For instance, one could argue that we have to spend less time researching and looking for answers because many of them are at our finger tips, letting us skip past many hours of redoing work that's already been done. We're no longer stuck reinventing the wheel over and over again because we have virtual access to all of the wheels ever made.

As a whole, our society has a greater understanding of our surroundings than ever. We've explored our surroundings down to the subatomic level and continue to learn more.

On the other, we now know less about our surroundings, as individuals, than at any other time in human history. I can look around my work space and tell you that, with a couple of exceptions, there isn't an object in sight that I could make from scratch or give you any thing but anecdotal information on how it was created from raw materials. The recent post on the toaster made from scratch is particularly telling of where we are collectively (he even had to use a microwave to smelt the iron...).

Furthermore, it's the working through the problems of reinventing the wheel that will often give you the knowledge to make a better wheel. The skills necessary to solve problems, come from solving problems, even if the problem has been solved before.

As a maker, these are the questions that come to mind, and actually drive me to be a better maker.

Reply to this comment