Promoting reading good books: the future working philosophy of motorcycle repair shops-Matthew Crawford

Philosophers and technicians. Ph.D. in Political Philosophy, University of Chicago, postdoctoral fellow of the Social Thought Committee of the university, and former director of Washington think tank. He is currently a researcher at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture of the University of Virginia and owns an independent motorcycle studio called Shockoe Moto.

From the reader's experience, we can easily see how awesome a person with a high degree, a well-paid job and a doctor of political philosophy is! But why did the author Matthew Crawford choose to set up a motorcycle studio under such generous conditions? What is the meaning of the author? With this question, we entered the book "The Future Work Philosophy of Motorcycle Repair Shop".

Matthew Crawford loved manual labor since he was a child. Crawford started working as an electrician assistant before 14 years old. When he was in high school and college, he worked as an electrician on holidays until he became a professional and skilled electrician.

Because Crawford always felt that philosophy had a powerful force pulling him, he began to learn Greek, and finally entered the University of Chicago, where he obtained a doctorate in the history of political thought.

"After graduation, I worked in a think tank for five months and worked in another information retrieval company for 1 1 month. In fact, these two white-collar workers are not free to work at all. In their previous work, they wholeheartedly "looked for the most powerful evidence for money". For example, one of his jobs is to put forward various arguments against global warming, and these arguments must conform to the position of oil companies because they provide financial assistance to think tanks. In the latter job, he read 28 academic articles every day and wrote an abstract for each article. In order to complete the task, he had to try to restrain his thinking ability. Because the more you think about it, sometimes you can't understand the author's argument, which will affect the work speed. " This job not only requires people to be stupid, but also asks people to lower their moral level. "Crawford said.

Finally, after working in a think tank for five months, he opened a full-time motorcycle repair shop with the money he saved. Matthew Crawford, who holds a doctorate in political philosophy, gave up his decent job as a think tank director and concentrated on running his own motorcycle repair shop. Although his clothes and hands are dirty every day, Crawford feels a sense of satisfaction that he has never felt before. Crawford, who became a repairman, improved his repair technology and taught himself metal welding technology, and successfully transformed a motorcycle repair shop into a motorcycle modification shop.

When you hear the news that graduates from famous universities sell pancakes or vegetables, do you want to know the story behind this choice?

In the best-selling book The Future Work Philosophy of Motorcycle Repair Shop, Crawford reflected on the role of mechanics in modern life through personal experience. When the seemingly smooth world suddenly stops, the repairman will be called to the door. Modern civilization makes it natural for people to rely on something (such as a toilet that can be used normally), but at this time we find that we are not as independent and free as we thought. The mechanic in front of us makes us uncomfortable all over, not only because he is rude or dirty, but also because he challenges our basic self-knowledge.

Making and repairing things with both hands is a common phenomenon in life, but it has almost disappeared now. People who work in an office often feel out of touch with the material world and feel the meaning of work. There are many people who don't want to go to college but are forced to study and then go to the office to become white-collar workers. It seems to be very similar to our life now. This book makes people see the brilliant return of handicraft industry and craftsman spirit. It tells us that handicraft industry can also make us live a decent life, which is a life path worth choosing.

The author Matthew Crawford has his understanding of the craftsman spirit, and Crawford wrote a short story in the preface of the Chinese version. In the summer of 20 1 1, this book was very popular in the United States, but it has not been introduced to China. He came to Beijing for a trip. In an alley near Beihai Park, he noticed an uncle who repaired bicycles. Uncle's car repair booth is on the roadside, and the customers are mainly nearby neighbors. He seems to be very absorbed in his work, he hardly talks, and there is no need to sell his services to others.

Through this short story, the author hopes that everyone will reflect on our way of life. No matter in China or the United States, people think that only by going to college can there be hope for the future. But after their families spent a lot of money and sacrifices, young people found that there were not so many job opportunities waiting for them. There are various unfathomable forces in the works, and the causal relationship may be too obscure to understand, so that it is difficult for young people to grasp the future. Crawford believes that this seemingly neglected China mechanic has inspired people to rethink the true meaning of life. Machinists don't have to consider office politics, and they don't have to bear the pressure from their superiors. After working every day, he really solved a bunch of problems. He slowed down his life and studied the details of his craft wholeheartedly. A person who is meticulous in details has the spirit of pursuing the ultimate. ...

When you read this book carefully, you will greatly feel that Matthew Crawford, as a doctor of philosophy, has a profound understanding and grasp of philosophy and mental growth. This may be because he is a doctor of philosophy himself. As a Chinese version, some of them lost the original flavor after translation, but it will not affect the overall understanding of the book. Of course, if you are a person who knows English articles very well, I recommend you to read the English version. I think you understand why.

Keep reading every day, enrich your world and enrich your life.