A Maker’s Manifesto
For thousands of years, human beings have made things.
We created tools to ease our labor and crafted objects for our pleasure. It’s what made us human.
But somewhere along the way we stopped being makers and we started being workers.
Work owns us now. Clients, bosses, stakeholders — they all have demands of our energy. If you’re not careful, those demands can suck you dry.
Your creativity belongs to you! You’re not beholden to anyone; make what you want to make.
This is a call to action: let’s spend less time consuming and more time creating.
It doesn’t matter if you knit scarves, code apps, or write essays; if you create stuff, you’re a maker.
How can we make better things?
First, practice.
On the path to making something great, you’ll make many things that aren’t that good. That’s ok. You’ll also make good things that aren’t appreciated. Don’t fret about that. History is filled with examples of artists who struggled even when they were making great art.
Don’t overthink it. Feel free to make mistakes. Break things. Learn and iterate.
Second, surround yourself with other makers.
Tolkien and C.S. Lewis had the Inklings. Andy Warhol, Bob Dylan, and Mick Jagger met at The Factory. Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and Warren G. Harding were the Vagabonds.
There will be a temptation to keep your creations private. Don’t do that. You’ll only learn if you share what you’ve made with the world.
Create for fun, provision, or out of necessity. Full-time or part-time. Big projects and small projects.
We are makers. Our creativity makes us strong, independent and free.
Now, let’s make some stuff.
Originally published at megamaker.co. Special thanks to everyone who helped revise this draft.
Want more inspiration? Listen to the MegaMaker podcast.
