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Voting for the lesser of two evils
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FourWinds
FourWinds
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Re: A Word from George Orwell
Sep 06, 2002, 12:00
I'm gonna ponder this for a while, but here's my initial reaction:

"the lines between 'craft' and 'manufacturing' are very blurred."
The lines are blurred because the 'craft' has disappeared and been replaced by robotic mass (re)production.

" these days i think every job contains elements of both"

I think if you look closely you will see that they don't. I think it is only there in the minds of those who won't face the reality that all jobs are shite these days and that you are working for the man in the manner in which the man wants you to. This is not a direct jibe at you but at people in general. This includes myself - I get up each morning and prostitute myself for a few pieces of gold. If I didn't make myself believe that it was worth while, by conning myself that I am using my creative programming mind to its fullest, for the greater benefit of mankind (blah, blah, blah) I wouldn't get out of bed.

When I think of the really good use that my only real (yet discovered) ability could be put to I weap at the waste of it. For instance I could write a world model that could work out the logistics for fair distribution of the world's food resources. Sadly these good things will never pay the bills or feed my children in this unenlightened world.

I thought that you would have had experience in the actual design part of magazines and this is why I used that analogy, apart from picking up on your previous comments. Someone as dedicated as yourself to you beliefs and causes usually does end up in this area at some time. I do take your point about templating a mag for image (and ease of finding what you want) purposes and perhaps layout should be re-phrased as initial concept design is an 'craft'.

Skilled labour is a thing of the past or at the very best a tool for the rich people to score points against the Smithers-Jones' - "Oh, you bought you kitchen from a shop? We had a little man make ours for us!"

That's quite a lot for an 'initial reaction' pending some pondering isn't it!?

Anyhow, I agree that all these jobs produce something, but I would never attach the word 'create' to them. Creation is a one off unique thing, not a mass production process.

Take Chippendale as an example - the furniture bloke not one of the strippers before anyone says anything :-). He created unique pieces of furniture. He then published the plans for them in books and other people mass produced them. Most Chippendale furniture was not made by Chippendale or the craftsmen that work with him, but it was manufactured from his designs in other factories. He created, the others manufactured to a design.

I know this may seem like me being picky and splitting hairs, but semantics are very important when conveying a message, especially on forums and such, where body language and inflection are absent, and things are easily misinterpreted.
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Re: A Word from George Orwell (necropolist)
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