Reflecting on the real impact of Maker Movement and next steps in the Journal of Peer Production Issue #5:
Despite the marketing clangour of the “maker movement”, shared machine shops are currently “fringe phenomena” since they play a minor role in the production of wealth, knowledge, political consensus and the social organisation of life. Interestingly, however, they also prominently share the core transformations experienced in contemporary capitalism. That is, for the individual: the convergence of work, labour and other aspects of life. Moreover, on a systemic level: the rapid development of algorithmically driven technical systems and their intensifying role in social organisation. Finally, as a corollary: the practical and legitimation crisis of modern institutions, echoed by renewed attempts at self-organisation.
Contribution by various protagonists of the makers’ scene. Here’s the executive summary:
- Shared Machine Shops are not new.
- Fab Labs are not about technology.
- Sharing is not happening.
- Hackerspaces are not open.
- Technology is not neutral.
- Hackerspaces are not solving problems.
- Fab Labs are not the seeds of a revolution.
ZOESCOPE 