Comments on: 3 Archetypes of American Manliness- Part II: The Heroic Artisan

By: Charles the Brewer

Charles the Brewer — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 02:19:47 +0000

Lumberjack: you’re confusing parasitism and mutualism.

Sir Andrew McConathy: you’ve nailed six out of seven occupations that I find most fascinating. Cheers!

By: The Backyard Harmonica Teacher

The Backyard Harmonica Teacher — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 02:14:53 +0000

I’m a crafter coming into the discussion here from the “Man Up” post Brett McKay put together on Etsy today (the marketplace for all things handmade). I handmake something I call the FlashHarp and sell it over there on Etsy. Depending on your politics, the FlashHarp is either the world’s most useful harmonica (liberal?) or the world’s most soulful flash drive (conservative?). Maybe it doesn’t depend on your politics at all. It is what it is. But to get back to the point, I do believe you’ve hit on a great topic here to write about. I say it’s high time for high praise for the handcrafter and I’m much obliged to you for the recognition. As a handcrafter myself, I know firsthand the gratification of inventing something. Making the article by myself, in my own shop, with my own hands, and then selling it, to my own customers, is extremely gratifying. This article is validation of what I am attempting to do, and it just felt real good to read it. I want to say thanks, but that feels vain and self laudatory. I’ll just say, good job. Nice work. Well done.
Best Regards,
The Backyard Harmonica Teacher
Check out my shop over at Etsy at: http://www.backyardbrand.com

By: Ben Weeks

Ben Weeks — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 21:31:35 +0000

I’m an artist. In response to any denigrating comments about white collar workers: my lawyer’s induction into and mastery of the esoteric culture of law protects my interests and enables me to produce work with less exposure to legal risks. It’s like having General Patton advising you when you’re playing a game of risk or having someone give you a bullet proof vest in a gang ridden city-it’s access to cultural power I’d otherwise not have. There’s no molten lava or steel hammers in my lawyer’s office, but he certainly wields powerful intellectual tools well.

Great article, insights about this archetype and comments! Here’s another example of this archetype at play: http://vimeo.com/13664547

By: Sir Andrew McConathy

Sir Andrew McConathy — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 20:09:39 +0000

As a Blacksmith, Boat builder, Clockmaker, Carpenter, Gunsmith, and Wilderness guide I put my hart sole and honor in to my work. I often have to tell my customers that fine work is worth the price, you will only buy it once, and consider this as a gift to your grandchildren (whether you have them yet or not). With the flimflammery of modern goods it is difficult hold to your values in a world $20 Wal-Mart coats and $ .10 disposable razors. But you will find that people will begin to listen and understand when you show them true quality, Filson Mackinaw coats, straight razors, Saddle Back leather bags, wooden boats, pocket watches, blued firearms, burl wood pipes, and manly professionalism. When my customers ask how I do what I do I tell them that there is a great deal of skill involved, but the quality of the things around me help to amplify that skill. Just show them what they are missing they will come around, they do for me, but I do have a big hammer to back me up.
Now Go Make Something!

By: TomH

TomH — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 20:03:18 +0000

As the son of a cowboy and someone who did a little cowboying in his youth, I find the reference to the cowboy of myth interesting in the context of the “heroic artisan.” The cowboy, whether the original trail drive version or his modern counterpart, produces nothing. (Building fence does not count.) At base, he takes care of cattle, and many of his job skills are more related to horsemanship than to animal husbandry. So mentioning “cowboy” in a piece on the “heroic artisan” is either pro forma or myth piled on myth.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 18:56:11 +0000

You don’t have to craft physical goods directly with your hands to live the life of this archetype. The heroic artisan is Howard Rourk from The Fountainhead to a tee. He was an architect and took immense pleasure in seeing a building that he had designed, but not built, being erected.

All that’s necessary is to put the pride of craftsmanship in to your work. If you love being a programmer you can have the heroic artisan’s pride in a feature you designed and coded being implemented into a program. A blogger can have the heroic artisan’s pride in a well built site that has a large following. The heroic artisan is still alive today.

By: Dawud

Dawud — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 21:29:22 +0000

I hang wallpaper for a living. There is nothing like seeing the results of my work come together at the end of the day. I don’t print the wallpaper itself, but I have the skills and the tools to put it on the walls and do it right. I’ve seen DIY jobs that are absolutely pitiful, and it makes me feel good that I can take a plain room and turn it into something beautiful and eye-catching in a few hours with only a bucket of paste, a paint roller, a small plastic straightedge/smoother and a few razor blades. 8 years in, and I’m working on picking up the business side of things so I can fully break out on my own and be prepared to take over for the man that trained me when he’s ready to leave the business.

By: André

André — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 08:19:50 +0000

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/M%C3%BCnchen_Schmied_von_Kochel_Denkmal1.JPG

Memorial for the legendary “de:Der Schmied von Kochel” (en:The Smith of Kochel) who is said to have fought bravely to his death as one of the last surviving revolutionaries at the churchyard of Old Church St. Margaret at Munich-Sendling on December 25th, 1705.

By: Josh W.

Josh W. — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 17:40:32 +0000

I can’t for the life of me remember where I read it, but I saw an article a while back about how technology is beginning to flip things back to individual shops. The specific example was that one could acquire the necessary equipment for a few thousand dollars to make $100 atheltic shoes for $15 cost in your garage. I think a shift back to this would help our society immensely. I think the industrial revolution was a good thing with it’s technological advances, but I do believe it create an unnecessary degree of confusion over life in general. A man that run’s his own business pays his own bills, knows his own costs, and takes responsibilities for his own debts. Now we have all these levels of obfuscation over our lives and production that worthless tax-feeders in govt have been able to exploit to steal more of our freedom and our wealth through ridiculous and confusing regulations, taxes, inflation, and licenses while we sit back confused, but not quite sure where to point out the error.

Here’s to productive individuals creating their own wealth and future!

By: Zach

Zach — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 16:09:43 +0000

+1 on the Shopclass as Soul Craft reference. Crawford really explores this archetype and advocates its return.