The humanity In making
Dear Introverts (and Other Rare Human Variants),
In an age in which we’re defaulting to getting lost in the digital world, connecting with other people is hard. It’s something that should feel natural - a foundational aspect of survival. It’s the second tier on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs for crying out loud. But it’s not easy, and we’ve been rewired to function as if meaningful social connection is the third tier of the hierarchy, after getting replaced by doomscrolling on the toilet.
How did humanity arrive at this point? I’ll spare you the historical anthropological rant and share this instead: We made things. And today, we tap into the human psyche while doing it. We’re also deceptive about it, which is why a) you woke up one day and realized you were addicted to ChatGPT and b) I lied before when I said I wasn’t going to rant.
The Agricultural Revolution (~12,000 years ago) marked a turning point in human history. Populations and resources grew hand-in-hand with innovation, leading to the formation of larger, more complex civilizations and cities. As surplus production increased, so did trade, specialization of labor, and the development of large-scale economies. Then came more innovation and technological progress, which further reinforced social hierarchies, state structures, and economic systems that fostered even more production and innovation. Over time, this cycle of surplus, expansion, and innovation laid the groundwork for industrialization and ultimately the rise of capitalism, a global system driven by continuous (and often unchecked) growth, accumulation, and technological advancement. And that is why your phone replaces what is now considered optional eye contact.
In the case of our modern society, our systems are working against us by disconnecting us from the roots of our humanity, and often profiting from the outcome of that disconnection (a post for a different day). However, there’s one common thread that holds the fabric of our humanity together across the ages: Making things. As humans, our drive and ability to innovate acts as a beacon for future friends, collaborators, admirers, and employees to gather. In many cases, making things creates community, solves problems, and keeps us intellectually stimulated.
Bonding with other people who enjoy making things makes that warm feeling of human connection happen a lot more. If you make things in public, strangers are occasionally drawn in and will usually share what they’re working on. It’s the same when you’re working on something in fiber arts groups or maker spaces - you become one with the culture of approachability, and you meet vastly diverse and interesting people along the way.
Now for your action items: Find a local yarn shop or maker space that has space or dedicated times for you to work alongside others, take a smaller project out on the bus with you to a cafe or bookstore, and if it’s already dark, watch the Big Bang Theory S1E6 starting at 9m30s for about a minute. You might just master the art of getting along with 99% of the population.
With love and bad posture,
Macie
