Master Hands

I came across this video on the HAMB and it made me think of Madmike's question "what has happened to America's youth?" This movie is about a half hour long, but it's worth every second. It was released by Chevrolet in 1936 to showcase the skill, mastery, and hand craftsmanship of the American worker in the automobile industry and beyond. The fact that tasks like the ones seen in the video are done by robotic workers in today's world is one of the major things wrong with this country, in my honest and humble opinion. Look at the men working in the video-- all young, capable, healthy, Americans. Outsourcing? No thank you. Were these men cut from a different cloth, or have we failed to stay true to the values many of them died to protect? You be the judge...


The Jalopy Journal » Blog Archive » Master Hands

Sorry to hear that Lars, I'm sure you'll land on your feet.

I agree with you to an extent, Nik. However, I don't feel the relationship between the complexity of a technology and the intellect of the person using it is a direct one in all cases. I'm not inclined to agree that any technology that makes life "easier" also makes life better. Coming from someone with the utmost respect for technology, and an advanced degree in Energy Tech, I still think there's something to be said for real craftsmanship.

Pick the five most technologically advanced devices in your possession and state their countries of origin. I'm not even sure what I'm driving at exactly, but what I see in the video are men who would equate to my peers if they were alive today, performing precision tasks with their own hands and minds.

Generationally, I can't imagine my true life peers doing the same things with any level of success. The sense of entitlement bred into them just wouldn't allow it. Heaven forbid you put eight hours into something every day and come home tired, but proud of a product you can stake your reputation on. Who knows...