"The Case for a Maintenance Mindset"
For our final story of the "Art of Repair" issue, Craftsmanship's publisher, Todd Oppenheimer, interviews Stewart Brand, one of the most influential thinkers and social-change pioneers of our time.
Dear Friends,
Some of you may fondly remember browsing the iconic Whole Earth Catalog, an American counterculture magazine that was co-founded in 1968 by one of the most influential thinkers and innovators of our time, Stewart Brand. As Steve Jobs once put it, the WEC was “Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along.”
Though the WEC ceased publication in 1998, after 30 years, Stewart Brand, who is now in his mid-80s, has continued to shape culture as a thought leader ever since WEC launched. He went on to help create numerous publications that stemmed from WEC’s worldview, founded one of the world’s first online forums (the WELL), led a world-class consulting business (the Global Business Network), and wrote several books that expanded people’s view of how the world works, and should work.
I was fortunate enough to have a long conversation with Brand recently about his latest book project, “Maintenance: Of Everything,” and how his findings relate to our Fall issue’s theme: The Art of Repair.
I hope you’ll enjoy this week’s feature, “The Case for a Maintenance Mindset,” written by yours truly.
Gift-giving season is now in full swing, so please check out our 2023 Gift Guide. (Spoiler alert: the topic might seem odd, but trust me: the items will suit just about anyone on your list, and give them something that’s unusually environmentally friendly.)
For an equally easy, thoughtful, and sustainable gift, may I also suggest a subscription to Craftsmanship? Starting in January, all subscribers will get early access to our releases, along with other new specials, for only $6/month, or $60/year. And you can schedule your gift to arrive in the recipient’s inbox anytime you like.
This story concludes our Fall issue on “The Art of Repair,” with hearty thanks to our contributors, interview subjects—and of course, our issue sponsor, the Culture of Repair. We’re now taking our usual holiday hiatus from publishing new stories, but returning in early January with a new Winter issue and theme. In the meantime, our Fall issue remains on our front pages, and of course our complete archives are always accessible.
In the meantime, I hope you'll always find something intriguing to read, watch, or listen to within our pages. We welcome your thoughts via email, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Thank you for reading and sharing our stories, for donating to our cause as you can, and for being such a loyal part of the Craftsmanship community.
Wishing you all the best of the season,
Todd Oppenheimer
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, Craftsmanship Magazine
Craftsmanship is a reader-supported publication. To help sustain our ad-free, independent journalism, please consider a paid subscription here on Substack.
Fall 2023: The Art of Repair
In a culture addicted to novelty and fast profits, the humble art of repair has declined almost to the point of extinction. But it’s not too late: In this issue, we’ll delve into the history of planned obsolescence and the reemerging ethos of restoration. From the patient hands of watchmakers, piano restoration experts, and veteran appliance repairmen, to the story of a young French woman who got her country to ban planned obsolescence, we’ll explore what it really means to create, maintain—and truly value—a world built to last.
This issue is supported in part by a grant from the Culture of Repair. Interested in sponsoring an upcoming theme or project? Contact us at publisher@craftsmanship.net.
Our Readers Share Their “Repair Rants & Raves”
RAVE: “All of my woodworking handplanes. Especially my type 2 Stanley #8. It's 150 years old and the original tradesman's initials, which are stamped on the side, just happen to be my initials, too.”
RANT: “A #5 Stanley ‘Handyman’ handplane. I spent a weekend refurbishing it and tuning it up as much as possible, to no avail. It was poorly designed and poorly produced.”
- J.C., Lakeland, FL
