Michael B. Crawford had a Ph.D. in philosophy, which led him to becoming a motorcycle mechanic. He explains the connection in his new book Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry Into the Value of Work
In his book Crawford argues for a fresh view of skilled labor, especially that of the traditional trades. Go ahead, he’s saying: Get your hands dirty. Own your work.
His book mixes descriptions of the pleasures and challenges of diagnosing faulty oil seals and rebuilding engines with philosophical views of work — he draws upon Aristotle, Martin Heidegger, and Hannah Arendt, among others — and economic analyses for the decline of skilled labor. He laments in particular the recent demise of high-school shop classes, which gave many young men their first manual skills. (Crawford points out that his arguments apply equally to women and says he hopes one day to work on a 1960 Volkswagen bug with his two young daughters.)
Skilled manual labor is far more cognitive than people realize, Crawford argues, and deserves more respect. That is especially true during tough economic times, when an independent tradesperson can make a decent and dignified living, and — this is important — can’t be outsourced. (You can’t get your car fixed in China.) “The question of what a good job looks like — of what sort of work is both secure and worthy of being honored — is more open now than it has been for a long time,” he writes.
Crawford believes that Americans, in their frenzy to send every kid to college in pursuit of information-age job skills, have lost something valuable. “My sense is that some kids are getting hustled off to college when they’d rather be learning to build things or fix things, and that includes kids who are very smart,” he says in an interview. . . .
“It’s a kind of reaction to a loss of contact with what it actually means to make things,” says Richard Sennett, a sociologist whose own book, The Craftsman (Yale University Press, 2008), explores related issues. It’s not a coincidence that a group of scholars is examining notions of what it means to practice a craft or trade at this point in time, says Sennett, who is on leave from New York University while teaching at the London School of Economics and Political Science. . . .
Bill Brown, a professor of English and visual art at Chicago, offers several explanations for the growing body of scholarship on the nature of work and objects. “When there’s a blip in the economy, people start looking up from their desks,” says Brown, whose own work on “thing theory” investigates the way inanimate objects form and transform human subjects. And as the world becomes more digitized — and its physical environment more degraded — people long for more contact with the material, he says.
(You can buy Crawford’s book by following the link above. You can buy Sennett’s by following this one: The Craftsman
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
I saw this guy on the Colbert Report the other night and was really excited by his book. I am one who is an academic of sorts, but also a sculptor. Being a sculptor involves getting very very dirty. I’m also engaged in managing a home, which also involves getting dirty. I cook a lot of meals from scratch and that takes a lot of skill, but offers no respect unless you are a celebrity chef.
While I hate to make stereotypes, I have noticed that the people who were employed as laborers when I was living in the DC metro area to tended to be uneducated people from West Virginia or immigrants from S. America. They recieved no respect and were treated as machines. It really ached me to see.
Here in rural Pennsylvania, the men working on my home are very intellegent, bantering back and forth with philosophical discourse. One is even a pastor! I wonder what that says about the nature of working with your hands in a rural place vs. an urban place.
My husband teaches shop at a local private school, and finds it to be very rewarding. Often he gets kids with behavior problems that have vertually no attention span, so there is a challenge when you involve power tools! Many parents approach him and express gratitude for the changes they see in their teenager’s attitude along with a new and useful skill learned. It is right and good to repair things rather than buy new whenever they break, a fading concept in recent decades that is returning of nessecity. Hey, maybe this is the upside to the economic problems!! :>)
Now if we could teach them how to cook real food in Home-Ec……..microwave – NOT!
Artist, Artisans, Laborers, and Farmers are not valued by popular Culture. We (the American consumer) desires the object at he cheapest price. We do not barter, consider, or save. Consequently, anything that cannot be gotten immediately, cheaply, or on credit is ignored by the majority. Secondarily, unless one is able and willing to spend large amounts of money on advertising, your product will not sell.
I think artists are sort of valued–at least it seems that art fairs are pretty popular these days, although that does not necessarily define “valued”, I suppose.
I taught high school for a number of years and met many students who were not suited for higher academia. They would do well at a technical college (Isn’t interesting that those places used to be called vocational schools?) and find a job in the manual labor sector. I encouraged them to go to school after high school to learn how to be the best mechanic, plumber, even farmer they could be, but my colleagues and I did not try to push everyone to work towards a BA, BS, or other higher degree. I remember a fellow teacher pondering a conundrum: he was strongly encouraging some bright female students to go to college, yet wondered if God was calling them to be stay-at-home mothers. I do not remember my response, but I remembered the statement and thinking about how parents and teachers push students into areas just for the sake of degrees. A degree does not always equal a job, of course, as the joke goes: What did the guy with the literature degree say to the lawyer? “You want fries with that?” Even the seminaries are fighting that battle. Too many parents want their child to earn a degree AND a well-paying job. Being a pastor isn’t always that. Lots of school, little starting salary. Maybe it’s part of what’s wrong with our economy today—but the economics part of the conversation is above my pay grade (and head).
A friend who works for the Forest Service observed that “Americans are starved for hands-on accomplishment.” This, after presenting a seminar at the Smithsonian where he demonstrated cutting wood with a variety of axes. (His specialty is fighting fires with hand tools including axes, Pulaskis and the like). My friend was astonished at the popularity of his demonstration in an urban setting.
Do middle schools and high schools still have wood, metal, print, and electric shop classes, as well as sewing and cooking classes?
Also (Dr. Veith, are you online?) how does preparation for the “vocation of manual labor” fit in with the concept of classical liberal arts education and the “Marks of a Lutheran and Classical School”?
” . . .[for a man] to accept his lot and be happy in his work–this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupies with gladness of heart.” (Ecclesiastes 5)
*occupied
(Dang! Why do I never see the mistakes until they are posted?)
I was big into the Classical Christian Education movement, homeschool version, for years. It worked great with my son who copied from encyclopedias for fun. Then I had a son who despised reading. He is intelligent and reads very fast, but only on the computer. School has been a huge torturous struggle. He not only despises reading, but also sitting still. He has pursued other avenues of keeping his mind occupied, but these are not healthy avenues. I long for him to be taught a skill, something to be done with his hands in which he can take pride. He has finally gotten a job in the restaurant business which keeps him occupied and is a start, but is not yet the best for him.
I think classical Christian schools cater only to the linguistically gifted, which is fine, even fantastic, for those students. But when you have a child whose bent is totally down another avenue, something else needs to be offered.
Didn’t it used to be a rule for Jewish boys to learn a trade, and reading and so on, which is why Paul knew the art of tent making, as well as being able to quote the Bible, rabbi’s and classical Greek literature with ease?
I think it is a well rounded person who has a liberal education, and knows a trade or two. Most in my congregation do not know that I am an electrician, a trade that was sort of dumped on me and which I keep a secret. Who knew that learning how to wire an electric fence as a high school dropout in the middle of Montana would lead to the Air Force deciding electrician was my thing.
I love this concept! The crafting of material, whether in art, craft, cooking, or construction, I believe to be part of our being made “in the image and likeness of God.” Animals build by instinct; we build by design, reflecting the Designer and Maker of all things.
As one who deals in the abstract world of words, I take great delight and joy in my precious time at the woodworking bench or working on yet another home improvement project. This, I believe, is part and parcel of the priesthood of Adam.
When I was in school their was two “routes” College and Vocational (Shop classes, Business Classes,FFA) – along with the arts (Band, Choir, Art). This was good. Everyone could settle into a place. Remember all the guys hanging around working on donated junk cars or their own cars? (Think of “Grease”).
The college route was hit real hard and has taken over, my wife was one who was pushed through the college route with C’s and should have been vocational. Now my High School, and also the one where I live have cut the vocational programs to nothing, let alone chopping the arts – and they wonder why the dropout rate has risen. Good work habits were learned in both programs. The lack of such programs is not good.
Ryan,
the Dropout rate has probably gone up as the smart kids have figure out that what they are receiving at school is not an education but an indoctrination.
Learning to work with your hands is valuable even if it doesn’t turn out to be your primary vocation. When we go on short term mission trips, there are usually construction projects involved, because those we are ministering to are in dire need of facilities. As I fumble around trying to help in whatever way I can, I watch the tradesmen among us with awe and wish that I had worked harder at those types of skills. Full time missionaries use those skills all the more. There are few resources on the third world mission field. If something breaks, you do without or fix it yourself (usually without replacement parts).
The original article out of which Crawford’s book grew is available at The New Atlantis, here: http://bit.ly/puyYu
Currently I am next in line to receive the book at PaperBackSwap.
In reply to Orianna who wrote:
I remember a fellow teacher pondering a conundrum: he was strongly encouraging some bright female students to go to college, yet wondered if God was calling them to be stay-at-home mothers.
Where is it written that college is not a valuable experience for stay-at-home mothers? IMO the purpose of college is not only to prepare one for a paying job. It has that side effect many times, but that is not the only reason to go. With costs being what they are, perhaps we should think more critically about whether a particular young person should go to college, but an education is not “wasted” even if the student never joins the paid workforce.
It is not the point of a liberal arts education to train children in a trade, that used to be the role (now defunct) of Europe’s old apprenticeship system which has been completely lost among N.American trades. (Excluding Electrician, perhaps). Most professional associations and trade guilds used to offer opportunities for professional development on a regular basis. Specialized medical doctors, family practitioners and nurses constantly develop their skills and improve their service. Also public school teachers spend much time in the summer months and at other times developing their skills in teaching such rapidly changing courses as evolutionary biology and postmodern ethics. Moreover, in such inveterate, ancient trades as metalworking, glassmaking and stonecutting, which have seen little real technological advancement in hundreds of years, there is still a guild structure in Europe offering training and mentorship. The tradesman’s improving skills were rewarded with changes in his rank and consequently his wage: apprentice to craftsman, journeyman, master and grandmaster. What can be seen in all of these professions is a desire to improve the skills of professionals, develop uniform standards in the profession, and offer opportunities for mentorship.
And herein lies the problem with the modern system of training for trades: no apprenticeship system. No boss wants to go through the effort and hassle of training because he can’t get a legally binding, signed contract from an apprentice to stay on with him for 3-5 years following training. The schools are NOT for training in trades.
CL
Stephanie @ 16: That is an excellent point. A stay at home mom is creating an environment of learning for her children. By no means is it a waste for a mom to have a higher degree. This is particularly true if the family is a home schooling family. Moreover, stay at home moms are the back bone of our volunteer force in America. Many charitable and ministry organizations benefit greatly from the expertise and gifts of such women.
The “send-everyone-to-college” syndrome is based on the misconception that college adds monetary value to one’s human capital. To be sure, it may, to some extent and for some majors, but more critically is that is serves as a credentially mechanism for folks with certain highly-valued intellectual skills.
Credentialing is socially valuable as well (although it is also social waste in a sense as well). Democratizing or normalizing college attendance simply means that colleges won’t be able to serve the credentialing function anymore, and the degree won’t be worth what it is today (or what it was yesterday), thereby undercutting the main rationale for pushing the marginal student to go to college.
Much better to allow kids to pursue what they are good at doing — in all their differences — rather than hold up college education as a singular value that adds to human capital and so increases salaries and wages.
Should have been “credentialing mechanism” rather than “credentially mechanism.”
Maybe college was wasted on me.
“…the smart kids have figure out that what they are receiving at school is not an education but an indoctrination.”
That was pretty much known in my high school already in the early ’60s mostly due to some student’s incessant pointing out the pro-UN propaganda in our world history book and objecting to the media fawning over the “American Camelot”.
I have been spending the last 6 months designing my apartment, laying granite , marble and porcelain tile (hey it is cheaper than formica or wood here by far) i did all my own electrical (in the movie steel magnolias they knew steve was gay because he had tracklighting. I have none. does that mean I am not gay^?), cabnetry )sp)mbing (the plumbing layout is different here in brasil. a wet drain in the middle of the bathroom and kitchen floor keeps the sewer gas from backing up and everything else drains in to that. the brasilians deluge their tile floors with soapy water with bleach daily. wall to wall carpet would seem nasty to them. hard to keep sanitary… the wet drain works well for that. i built my own brick and stucco interior walls are stucco with LOTS of spackle (think 5 gallon drums) smeared on to paint), installing a new circuit is easy! Just cut a groove in the stucco with a circular hand saw, put in conduit and presto! I installed floor to ceiling mirrors (easier than one would think …etc etc.
during the work I was thinking more of that thorns and thistles comment of God rather than the nice adamic priest hood that wccirla paints (what a glutton for sawdust!) . the dust gave me algergies and if i could pay to execute my design…..
but being a poor norwegian lutheran farmboy from the dakotas, i picked up some skills… that was before that liberal arts education courtesy of the wisconsin synod…and after taking up fencing (BARBwire fencing..) and then a CPA cert.
and those gay genes came in handy for the architectural design work… needed help coordinating colors (that not so gay plastic-on-the-furniture-to-keep-it-looking-sears-roebuck-catalog-new part I guess kicks in at some point….).
still. hogwash. those who are poor and can , do. those who have money and can, often would prefer to pay to have it done…
that said there is truth here. just not resonating to it right now with this allergic coughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh,
Check this out, if you have twenty minutes or so: http://bit.ly/FYd3J.
Mike Rowe, from the Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs, gives a great speech about celebrating work–all kinds of work–and how we, as a culture, have declared “war on work.” Very appropriate for this discussion, I think. And a fascinating–and hysterical–speech.
“Skilled manual labor is far more cognitive than people realize…and deserves more respect. That is especially true during tough economic times, when an independent tradesperson can make a decent and dignified living…”
Amen a thousand times! I have the original article (before being turned into a book?), though I found it a bit TOO cerebral. I have lived with a craftsman for nearly all my adult life. My husband has been a Industrial Technology teacher (aka shop teacher)for 25 years. He could keep a blog for years with the stories he could tell from the shop. You’d be surprised at how many of his students are honors students in other subjects. Shop work (woods, metals, CAD, etc) takes a thinking person! So many of his students do not have a quick handle on basic math and measurement skills. Each semester, he spends the first several days teaching basic skills for working in a shop. My husband is the son of a shop teacher. He and his dad have built and remodeled homes, restored dozens of vehicles and repaired nearly anything imaginable. I am continually amazing by what my husband can do, partly because my parents nearly always hired work out, and partly because we live so cheaply yet still live in the suburbs…just by knowing how to fix things ourselves.
TickleText, thanks for the link!
Manual labor should pay enough to allow people doing it to make an honest living providing for themselves and their families. It’s not too much to ask.