For Work / Against Work
Debates on the centrality of work

The Craftsman

by Sennett, Richard (2008)

Abstract

Why do people work hard, and take pride in what they do? This book, a philosophically-minded enquiry into practical activity of many different kinds past and present, is about what happens when people try to do a good job. It asks us to think about the true meaning of skill in the 'skills society' and argues that pure competition is a poor way to achieve quality work. Sennett suggests, instead, that there is a craftsman in every human being, which can sometimes be enormously motivating and inspiring - and can also in other circumstances make individuals obsessive and frustrated. The Craftsman shows how history has drawn fault-lines between craftsman and artist, maker and user, technique and expression, practice and theory, and that individuals' pride in their work,

Key Passage

All craftsmanship is founded on skill developed to a high degree. By one commonly used measure, about ten thousand hours of experience  are  required  to  produce  a  master  carpenter  or  musician.  Various studies show that as skill progresses, it becomes more problem-attuned,  like  the  lab  technician  worrying  about  procedure,  whereas people with primitive levels of skill struggle more exclusively on getting things to work. At its higher reaches, technique is no longer a mechanical activity; people can feel fully and think deeply what they are doing once they do it well. (p.20)

Keywords

Craft, Craftsmanship, Skill, Art, Pride, Technique, Heidegger, Work Quality, Meaningful Work, Artist, Communication

Themes

Craftsmanship

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