Craftsmanship in the Age of Machines

I accidentally came across a video on mastering a craft in the age of machines. The documentary is based on four people from Japan who are engaged in different fields: construction, cooking, art and car production. All are different in nature, but they all require dedication and practice towards perfection. We seem to think that machines are more precise (which is true) and can do everything better than what we can, but in reality, it seems that human endeavor can take creativity to a higher level. It just requires time.

When we think about a goal, we always think about the end. Most are willing to sacrifice the present for the future. Suffer now so that you can reap the benefits later. Perhaps, that might not be the best method in attaining what we want. For if we toil and suffer, the road will only seem to be longer. Shigeo Kiuchi, a construction craftsman, said something along the lines of “work hard, but don’t push yourself too hard.” It seems contradictory, yet I feel that there is something true about the statement. The process might be more important than the result. The journey might be more important than the destination. Burning out over a task just to quickly acquire a skill might not be worth it. For your passion for the craft will melt away with the will to pursue it. Instead, Kiuchi suggests that we spend a lot of time on it. There seems to be no rush. According to the video’s philosophy, it will take 60,000 hours to truly master the craft. If this length seems like eternity, why is there a need to rush?

While these craft seems to be limited to particular skills such as cooking or drawing, I’m wondering whether this 60,000 hours towards mastery can be applied somewhere else. To be able to harmoniously live with disruption, it seems that creativity will soon become the most important trait in any profession. Being able to pay attention to detail that the AI can’t see, to the nuances that the AI can’t feel and to the smell that the AI can’t sense are things that will distinguish us apart from machines. While A.I. will eventually take our repetitive jobs, can these repetitive jobs be reinvented in a way that will incorporate artistry and sensitivity? Can things like banking, accounting or checking out supermarket items transform into professions that require attention to detail and counted as “crafts?” What will “craftsmanship” mean in the future?