fablab

Journal of peer production on Shared Machine Shops

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

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A documentary on Making, living and sharing by Jens Dyvik

For two years Jens Dyvik travelled around the globe visiting more than 25 fablabs, makerspaces, hackerspaces looking for answers to crucial questions like: How can I support people in creating their own products? If I share my design with the world, how can I still make a living? How can we achieve global collaboration and local manufacturing? One of my fav sentences of the movie:  “simply put: personal manufacturing is a way of filling your world with more meaningful things.” (Il video è corredato di sottotitoli in italiano grazie al supporto di Massimo Menichinelli)