Note: This is republished text from Ulla-Maaria Mutanen.
This manifesto was created by Ulla-Maaria Mutanen, a Ph.D. student at the University of Helsinki in Finland. She thought about why we love making things. I really liked this manifesto because it has everything to do with the idea of learning by doing. Through experimentation, we can have fun while we learn.
- People feel satisfied when they have been able to create things, because they can see themselves in the objects they make. This isn’t possible with purchased products.
- The things people make have magical powers. They have hidden meanings that other people cannot see.
- People make things they usually want to keep and update. Crafting is not against consumption. It is against throwing things away.
- People seek recognition for the things they make, especially from their friends and family. This takes the form of a gift economy.
- People who believe they are making really cool things seek greater exposure for their products. This creates opportunities for publication through alternative channels.
- Work inspires work. Seeing what other people have made generates new ideas and projects.
- Essential to making are tools that are accessible, portable, and easy to learn.
- Materials become important. Knowing what they are made of and where to get them becomes essential.
- Recipes become important. The ability to create and distribute interesting recipes becomes valuable.
- Learning techniques brings people together. It creates communities of practitioners, online and offline.
- People who enjoy making things look for opportunities to discover interesting things and meet their makers. This creates markets.
- At its heart, making things is a form of fun.