In his excellent book Why We Make Things and Why It Matters, Peter Korn makes a similarly philosophical argument for handcrafting items such as furniture. “Prior to the Industrial Revolution, virtually every object had been produced ‘by hand.’ Subsequent to it, making things by hand became a potentially subversive act—something one did in opposition to prevailing societal norms.” Korn’s thoughtful book makes a persuasive case for the ways in which we choose to make items with our hands: “The [handmade] desk is at odds with our society’s rampant consumerism. It speaks of durability at a time
...more
