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A review by wellworn_soles
Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry Into the Value of Work by Matthew B. Crawford
4.0
Michael Crawford's inquiry into the value of work is vital for anyone who feels a sense of dissatisfaction and malaise around 'work' (hint, pretty much everyone I know of). Reading this in pieces over a year has impressed upon me how many of Crawford's ideas I have taken into myself prior to reading and during his work: the value of working with my hands, of being present, and of communities organized around passion and learning are all things I strive to emulate in my own life.
The books critique of the post-industrial economy that we see burgeoning in Western countries is sharp, clear, and readily accessible. A good writer is able to distill his words into language the everyman can comprehend, and I feel Crawford did that well. My only critique is that his staunch republican bias often showed through, and he seemed a little bit of an apologist for some aspects of the cultures he lauded - probably because of his own fond memories of them. I think specifically about how he wrote off sexual insults, slurs, and degrading language between mechanics in a speed shop to be just a type of initiation game, which I don't really agree with. Rude language is rude, and I would like to hope we can find other ways to "initiate" a new generation into our communities. Furthermore, the entire book can be read as a sort of defense of the author's own life choices, which really severely sets back the idea that this can in any way be objective and not a pat on the back writ-treatise. While I agree with most of the assertions Crawford puts forward in his thesis, I could totally understand someone else saying that he would of course say that because that's how he lives. And who wouldn't? We all believe our set of beliefs are the best - that's why we believe them. Keeping this inherent bias in your sights, however, gives you a chance to wiggle around it and hold his arguments on their own weight - I think. I felt as though I was able to in the end.
It was also very interesting to read Crawford talk about the economic implications of our excessive and detached ways of being right before the housing crash (to my knowledge, this book was published before 2007). I think many of Crawford's ideas have shown their fruits already, and continue to do so. His bibliography is also a great resource, one that I will return to often.
If you want to look into an alternative way of living in Western society, or feel something is amiss in the whole way we do things, I highly recommend this book as an introductory to an entire school of thought that seems to be growing in the midst of our chaotic world. Crawford is like a shot in the dark for articulating dissatisfactions with a system that dehumanized and separates us from the real physical value of life, and it's one I believe we should all take to heart.
The books critique of the post-industrial economy that we see burgeoning in Western countries is sharp, clear, and readily accessible. A good writer is able to distill his words into language the everyman can comprehend, and I feel Crawford did that well. My only critique is that his staunch republican bias often showed through, and he seemed a little bit of an apologist for some aspects of the cultures he lauded - probably because of his own fond memories of them. I think specifically about how he wrote off sexual insults, slurs, and degrading language between mechanics in a speed shop to be just a type of initiation game, which I don't really agree with. Rude language is rude, and I would like to hope we can find other ways to "initiate" a new generation into our communities. Furthermore, the entire book can be read as a sort of defense of the author's own life choices, which really severely sets back the idea that this can in any way be objective and not a pat on the back writ-treatise. While I agree with most of the assertions Crawford puts forward in his thesis, I could totally understand someone else saying that he would of course say that because that's how he lives. And who wouldn't? We all believe our set of beliefs are the best - that's why we believe them. Keeping this inherent bias in your sights, however, gives you a chance to wiggle around it and hold his arguments on their own weight - I think. I felt as though I was able to in the end.
It was also very interesting to read Crawford talk about the economic implications of our excessive and detached ways of being right before the housing crash (to my knowledge, this book was published before 2007). I think many of Crawford's ideas have shown their fruits already, and continue to do so. His bibliography is also a great resource, one that I will return to often.
If you want to look into an alternative way of living in Western society, or feel something is amiss in the whole way we do things, I highly recommend this book as an introductory to an entire school of thought that seems to be growing in the midst of our chaotic world. Crawford is like a shot in the dark for articulating dissatisfactions with a system that dehumanized and separates us from the real physical value of life, and it's one I believe we should all take to heart.