Q: How do we know history?
History could be simplified as the narrative of investigations into our shared past, so that we may know what was there in those times. Why we do so, is an interesting question but pondering on that for later. How we know the history – this is a very relevant question. Mostly we know it through stories of people, their social hierarchies and roles, places that are relevant to the narratives and so on. But then anyone can make up stories? Which one is truer than the other? That’s the science of history, finding out the truth or the closest approximation possible. And how does this happen? One looks for evidence of text or materials from the time periods of interest. Why materials? Because they last longer and in better forms than non-material information such as stories and myths. Or is it? The material artifacts also are associated with the technological developments and tools of the times and point to the users’s social lives. The field of archaeology could be very interesting to discuss in this light, but i am no archaeologist sadly so should pass on here.
So, one major aspect of our historical knowledge, even the very local and personal, are the materials and traces left behind by our past. Forts, artifacts, shipwrecks, ruins, paper, manuscripts on papyrus and all sorts of things. All these were made by someone, a maker. Our history is full of it. Human civilization’s tool making and modifying natural materials to adapt to our needs is the key difference between humans and other animals.
So who were the ancient makers? The stoneage tool makers, the hut makers, decorative pieces that were traded and traders who dealt with makers and users, the line often not so stark as of today. So here we may present a list of makers, but whats the point apart from academic exercise? Instead lets identify and justify makers and see how vast our definition is. But whats the definition? – A maker is one who responds to a need, emotional, physical, survival by modifying available materials around it to somehow satisfy that need.
- Artisan
- hunter?
- saints and philosophers?
- moms?
- …
We are all makers by default. We always make up things. There’s so much uncertainty and lack of first hand knowledge around us right now that we couldn’t possible survive the panic and trauma of the moment, unless we have faith. Now that’s a dangerous word tossed in the sanctity of a scientific and technical discussion. But if you look underneath your understanding of the world, faith wont seem as alien as its made out to be, weather we like it or now. Imagine me totally depending on Newton (and Einstein’s) description of gravity when i am free falling off a cliff. I could calculate the time required from the tip of the cliff from where i jump off too the bottom of the cliff, and hopefully open a parachute in the right time. I am sure its as predictable as possible and nothing more is needed. All fine, only problem is i have never done this experiment, i know nothing about parachutes. Yet i am assured by a huge lot of fellow species that the above will be mostly true, asking me to ‘trust’ them. But wait what about people who have done this experiment? Well they too can at the most ask me to trust them. And me being a part of this society has faith in them, because finding out for myself will be hell lot difficult, dangerous and i don’t have so much time. This argument, faith, could be extended to millions of information we have and use in our daily lives. And in this light, summing up, either we rely on faith on what others say, OR we use our imagination to ‘make-up’ gaps in our ‘faith-on-other’s’ information. And we make up a lot, really a lot. So we are all makers.
However, to narrow down, lets say we are talking only about makers who make and modify material objects rather than imaginary ones. Then, the list of makers decrease.
- Painter: What need does a painter satisfy? An emotional one? it uses the emotional needs as a source to express using colors, graphics and so on. Certain choices of colors represent the emotional requirements better than others, and there is a certain way in which the movement of the brush can render better. An experience of the painters comes in to say what may look conventional and what may not. There are so many layers of emotion, thought, expertise, skills, lack of skills and ambition to make up for the lack of skills that go into a painter’s work. Definitely a maker!
- Cricketer? Well, it uses man years of hard work and skills and technique and knowledge and emotions to do what it does. But it does not necessarily modify materials around to respond to its needs, unless like ball tampering or polishing one side of the seam to swing the ball or flattening the cricket pitch to reduce uncertainty and so on.
- A blog writer? Well again, lot of thoughts and effort, creating a lot of content, but not modifying materials. Hence not so much a maker in the narrow definition discussed above.
So who are we in this maker class?
Who’s the instructor?
What is the plan of the course?
Declaration of Assignment 1: Write a 500*5 = 2500 word essay on the role of technology, your personal perspective, on theses aspects A) The human social/political world B) On nature C) Rich/poor divide in this world D) Gender divide in this world and E) Role of technology in your personal life. Each of these aspects will have A) Description B) Pros C) Cons and D) Future aspects.