production vs. consumption

flossy_log_lady · November 2010

My brain has been spinning in circles lately about stuff that seems to be centered on a theme of "production vs. consumption" and I'm hoping you can help make some sense out of it for me, UHXers.

So, here's this kickstarter featured video about "the maker movement." Seems like the message of this so-called movement is: "Don't buy it! Make it yourself!" Which is great in theory, but, in general, making art/products usually takes a lot of time and money, right? And in order to continue making things, people need to buy your things, right? Usually, you need lots of people to buy your things. So makers rely on consumption/materialism in order to be a part of the anti-materialism movement. I don't get it. Unless people are repurposing products/materials to make new ones -- that seems to fit more with the ideology. And I'm not talking about knitting your own hat -- I'm thinking more about designing a "new product."

I've been on a total industrial design blog binge lately and I keep fantasizing about these products I would love to make and I just want to MAKE, MAKE, MAKE and I like that part of my brain. It's so fun and it feels healthy and alive. But then I think about the materials, and the poor earth and the need for people to buy these things (that aren't essential in any way) and I get deflated. I don't know how to reconcile creativity with "living simply" (i.e. nobody needs these egg pants by design glut -- and I would never buy them -- but I still love the concept/execution and have a strong urge to make products like this myself).

Any thoughts?

Death · November 2010

no great thoughts on how to resolve that paradox really, but here's a neat book

http://katebingamanburt.com/obsessive-consumption-book

flossy_log_lady · November 2010

Love Kate Bingaman Burt.

1234 · November 2010

My initial thought is that I do need egg pants! I just bought an egg cup.

Makers are still consumers. They just buy parts instead of the whole. I like the idea of Makers because it adds more intent to the consumption. I bet most Makers are not "living simply."

Makers aren't about not-buying because of anti-consumerism, they are about not-buying because they are pro-creation. It's more important to make things, but it's also harder.

boostalk · November 2010

The brute efficiency of mass production probably reduces material waste in many ways. It's like cooking for 5 or 10 vs. cooking alone. When making from parts and in small numbers, it's easy to over-consume the elemental pieces needed to finish the job.

But Makers are also about not-buying because there's already some discarded shit laying around that might make for some good egg pants.

flossy_log_lady · November 2010

KMikeyM: I don't understand this "not-buying because they are pro-creation" idea. If you are a maker of things, aren't you inherently pro-buying? You just buy the things other people make, and hope they buy the thing you make?

1234 · November 2010

My call is that they are not anti-consumption. That lack of buying new things is a side-effect of their wanting to make it. In the case of Makers I would guess that it's often not economics at all that come in to play. They probably spend more time, energy, and money "making" than if they just bought something. But they enjoy the making and the sharing of that information with others. Cultural currency or "whuffie" or whatever.

I was trying to say that Makers speak like an anti-consumer, but what they oppose is not STUFF, they have a lot of STUFF! They're anti nicely packaged stuff that won't let you tinker with it (things like Apple). The Maker message is more like, "You Can't Buy It, Because It Doesn't Exist, So We're Gonna Make It."

Also, you don't *that many* people to buy what you make, as long as what you make is wanted by a lot of people. ;)

1234 · November 2010

In summary: I think you should make stuff!!!

UncleBoatShoes2011 · November 2010

You can make stuff without buying parts.
Using items you already have or recycled/found/donated parts.

Loose_Thread · November 2010

Does anyone want to try my cookie?
It's recycled!

swamp_knobbler_mahan · November 2010

I just made and consumed my own jenkem! I feel weird!

Dr_William_Hayward · November 2010

Jumping in all big picture and such, there is a book "Spent: Sex, Evolution and Human Behavior" I read which gives some big-pic ideas for looking at what people do. If you know me and are reliable in PDX you can borrow. It's at times trivially brand dropping, at times over extended (towards the end), but I'll buy you a name brand (TM) beer if you don't find it enlightening.

distant_shoe · November 2010

i need some money

everybody needs money!

i made these things:

http://whiterainbowpizza.bandcamp.com

and with help from other makers (of music and of physical things):
http://whitestag.bandcamp.com
http://www.marriagerecs.com/shop2/842/we-like-cats
http://www.brainwashed.com/common/htdocs/discog/krank137.html

you should buy them

then i can pay for food, rent, utilities, car, phone, internet and netflix.

what did everyone else make?

Megazord · November 2010

I made this : http://www.marriagerecs.com/shop2/870/megazord

Death · November 2010

I've made a few ridiculous things for school this quarter...

ridiculous caveman costume and stuffed creature thing for 3D design:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs794.snc4/67417_457181193150_761848150_5316547_3897677_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs054.ash2/36073_448111858150_761848150_5164858_290856_n.jpg

Tibor Kalman educational postcard:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/5091292057_1f69e3cd87_b.jpg

they are not for sale though...not that anyone would want to buy them :)

flossy_log_lady · November 2010

I like the direction this thread has headed.

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production vs. consumption

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