Builders before Designers

Three Hundred Ninety Third Post: Builders before Designers

I dabble in math and drafting with a little design of simple things. But I realized something the other day when I was assembling my new bike. And that is that I need to improve as a builder. You see in design you think about the entire aspects of the designs assemble, but in building it must go together. That is the problem. Things tend to not want to go together. I mean screwing in one screw is easy. Screwing in dozens of different size parts when you are relying on poor instructions is a great challenge. There is also the times when everything goes together perfectly, but in the end you find that you have to tear it apart because it is on backwards.

Originally before I bought my bike, I was going to attempt to build a bicycle car out of PVC pipe with plans I ordered over the Internet. I was excited and ready to put this thing together. But again, the instructions were difficult so I scrapped the idea. It would have been fun and quite a learning experience. However I don’t think I was ready for the time and patience it would take to construct this thing.

Everything in the store you buy says “made in China.” It kind of makes you think America doesn’t build anything. But when I read “Make” magazine or watch things like “Monster Garage” I am reassured we do have the greatest makers and builders in the World. So why doesn’t it seem that way? I honestly have no idea. Maybe it starts with our schools. Classes like drafting and wood shop aren’t seen as important as other traditional classes. But nothing could be further from the truth. Art and industrial classes are were we learn to be builders. And once we are builders, we can become designers.

Einstein was right: “Imagination is More Important than Knowledge.” That doesn’t mean knowledge isn’t important. Though, it does mean we are learning facts in school without using our imagination. That is why students get bored in class. They have no understanding what they can do with the knowledge they just learned. It is being forgotten before they every apply it.

So the next time the schools want to cut the budget. For the makers sake, make sure it isn’t one of those classes were builders become creators.

May the Creative Force be with You!