The similarities between these machines helps make the writer's point, beautifully. [Courtesy: Ben Younger]
Key Takeaways:
The article champions the profound value of artisanal craftsmanship, exemplified by products like the Porsche 911 and Beechcraft Bonanza, which are built with exacting care and foster a deep, lasting connection between creator and user.
It critiques modern consumer culture for prioritizing cheapness and efficiency over quality, leading to a societal decline in skilled craft, a disposable mentality, and the alienation of workers from their creations.
The author advocates for reconnecting with and preserving quality artisan work, arguing that it offers enduring value, personal significance, and essential reliability, particularly in high-stakes fields like aviation.
Despite the pressures of corporate profit, the article expresses hope for a resurgence in craft, urging companies to find ways to support artisans and their unique contributions to high-quality, durable goods.
The two machines pictured above do not conform to the rules of economy of scale. Both are made by hand to some degree, and done so to exacting tolerances in small numbers by dedicated craftsmen. Both have horizontally-opposed, six-cylinder engines. Both require a certain level of mastery to fully extract their potential. Both attract the mechanically zealous.
Both fly.
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Ben Younger is a TV and film writer/director, avid motorcyclist and surfer—but it’s being a pilot that he treats as a second profession. Find him on Instagram @thisisbenyounger.
