Making Is Connecting
David Gauntlett • 2011
In Short
A media theorist describes how the power of everyday creativity can drive our sense of happiness, social connection, and political empowerment.
In Depth
Who's the author?
David Gauntlett is a sociologist and media theorist particularly interested in the power of making. He has taught at the School of Media, Arts and Design at University of Westminster and in the Faculty of Communication and Design at Ryerson University in Toronto.
What's the intention?
Gauntlett puts forward a optimistic message about the positive impact that making things, both online and offline, can have on the individual and society. Inspired especially by the creative activities associated with the emergence of Web 2.0 at the time of writing, he outlines a thesis that connects traditional craft to modern digital making and links them to theories about happiness and social capital.
Who's it for?
Gauntlett writes in a breezy, conversational tone which makes it a friendly read for the general public. It‘ll interest people involved with making things online as it makes a thorough case for the potential power of this activity.
So what?
Nowadays, it can be easy to read the message of the book as a bit idealistic given the problems we see with hate, corporate influence, and surveillance on the internet. In fact, the author touches on these issues in the preface of the second edition of the book. There, he makes the case that the terrible things that happen on the internet don’t automatically invalidate the good that can be done with the same platforms. It’s Gauntlett’s hopefulness and faith in the empowering act of creating something in the world which makes his message refreshing and worth reading.
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On Everyday Creativity
Participatory Design • Everyday • Making
When we understand creativity as a process with a focus on the emotions it arouses and the presence of the people involved (rather than as some exclusive talent), we frame even the simplest craft activities of everyday people as empowering, meaningful, and important.
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On Making as a Driver for Social Capital and Happiness
Making
Making things means engaging with the world, which inevitably leads to engagement with other people. In this way, acts of creativity are a key driver for our social connectedness and well-being.
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On Making as Political
Technology • Participatory Design • Making
Every act of even simple creativity is inherently political in that it represents worldview that empowers people to make choices and shape the things around them. We should protect this self-expression, especially as we develop the design of online and networked platforms.