Ahab the Maker

Through my research of the Maker Movement, I have been inspired time and time again as I find real people engaged in real projects through digital means, which in turn grows into something important and passionate - even something personal.

Makers: The New Industrial Revolution revels in the emergence of the small business owner. The way that Anderson claims that these small business owners are able to thrive is through the importance of using the available tools. He claims that those who use these open-sourced tools are "often the best source of new ideas and innovation" (Anderson, 115).

Okay, so what does this mean?

It means that when we remix (see my earlier blog post) and create our own version of something to synthesize a new product, we're taking ideas that have all ready gone around the block and we're personalizing them. And that's where the magic happens. That's the beauty of DIY digital edition.

In taking this concept to the stormy seas of Ahab's quest, I see Ahab as one of these small business owners. Ahab's familiarity with the whaling industry has given him the tools to create his personalized whaling experience: "Ahab's above the common; Ahab's been in colleges, as well as 'mong the cannibals; been used to deeper wonder than the waves" (Melville, 71).

He has the boat, the crew, the social network, the supplies, the experience. And when all these come together, he realizes that he can use these tools for his own personal use - that use being his personal, blood-thirsty quest to conquer Moby Dick.

Ahab's resources make all the difference. Without all the available resources, he would never have gained the reputation and ability to lead his crew into such an adventure. Like Ahab, we too have the digital resources to take our amateur skills and refine them as we gain experience and information in our desired quest. In a sense, it's even easier to become a professional than it was for Ahab.

So you may be thinking, "I don't want to be a businessman like Ahab... he led himself and all but one of his crew members into the jaws of death."

Despite the genre of political cartoon, I actually found a picture linking Ahab and Business!

Well fortunately for Makers and entrepreneurs everywhere, there is less on the line when personalizing our mission or product. Anderson says, "The step from making one to making thousands is simply a matter of how much you want to pay (or put on your credit card)" (26). As I've summarized this concept before in Anderson's book, the digital age allows Makers to create compatible digital designs that can be manufactured in small batches to accommodate our budget and start-up plan. Ahab, on the other hand, decided to go all out despite the various reality checks that he averted. Although Ahab was warned, he went past the mark and failed miserably. With less at stake for us with small batches, there's less to risk.

Are you feeling risky? It's time to start personalizing, exploring, and producing.