That Which Is Not and Must Never Be
Quote from Gaper's Block
"Organized by two crafty chicas, YarnCon is possibly the first hip, urban yarn convention in the country."
The following isn't directly aimed at "Cinnamon" of GB or the YarnCon people. I'm just reminded of my previous posts about the peculiar need to put a hip spin on stuff old ladies do.
I fully encourage the revival of old-fashioned arts and crafts. I build stuff in my workshop. I collect DIY books and memorabilia from the back to the land and folk movements of the past, and I love that in a society where once common skills are increasingly placed in the hands of specialists, people are taking the initiative to revisit the old ways.
What I don't comprehend is the need to make shit that is not "cool" seem, y'know, cool. I'm not saying that I can knit, or that knitting is only practiced by social rejects. Heck no. I just don't understand the need to attach a punk soundtrack, piercings, six chrome-plated rocket skateboards, and 400 cans of !!!!exxxtreeeme!!! energy drinks to a craft to make it cooler-or, more accurately, less socially embarrassing. Take a big bite of reality pie. I don't care if you're Lydia Lunch. When you're knitting a sweater you're just knitting a goddamned sweater, not shooting up with Lou Reed at the Factory. You should simply enjoy it for the creative activity that it is, not for its temporary cachet.
If anything, I think stressing the "hipness" drives an unnecessary wedge between the generations. The above movements stressed talking to and learning from old folks (see the Foxfire books). Current reportage seems more divisive. "Sorry, granny, we're knitting Green Day and Spoon cozies for our iPods. I'm sure you have nothing to contribute." That may not be what actually happens, but it's the impression I get from the media, and I fear it scares people off or builds up a hip impression that can't possibly be sustained.
"Organized by two crafty chicas, YarnCon is possibly the first hip, urban yarn convention in the country."
The following isn't directly aimed at "Cinnamon" of GB or the YarnCon people. I'm just reminded of my previous posts about the peculiar need to put a hip spin on stuff old ladies do.
I fully encourage the revival of old-fashioned arts and crafts. I build stuff in my workshop. I collect DIY books and memorabilia from the back to the land and folk movements of the past, and I love that in a society where once common skills are increasingly placed in the hands of specialists, people are taking the initiative to revisit the old ways.
What I don't comprehend is the need to make shit that is not "cool" seem, y'know, cool. I'm not saying that I can knit, or that knitting is only practiced by social rejects. Heck no. I just don't understand the need to attach a punk soundtrack, piercings, six chrome-plated rocket skateboards, and 400 cans of !!!!exxxtreeeme!!! energy drinks to a craft to make it cooler-or, more accurately, less socially embarrassing. Take a big bite of reality pie. I don't care if you're Lydia Lunch. When you're knitting a sweater you're just knitting a goddamned sweater, not shooting up with Lou Reed at the Factory. You should simply enjoy it for the creative activity that it is, not for its temporary cachet.
If anything, I think stressing the "hipness" drives an unnecessary wedge between the generations. The above movements stressed talking to and learning from old folks (see the Foxfire books). Current reportage seems more divisive. "Sorry, granny, we're knitting Green Day and Spoon cozies for our iPods. I'm sure you have nothing to contribute." That may not be what actually happens, but it's the impression I get from the media, and I fear it scares people off or builds up a hip impression that can't possibly be sustained.