Blog categorized as The Sawdust Sage™

The Floor We Forgot We Were Standing On reflects on how declining union strength weakened the wage-and-benefit floor many workers once depended on, leaving later generations with less leverage, less security, and a very different economic bargain.

As CNCs, lasers, and 3D printers reshape modern craft, the word “handcrafted” has grown increasingly vague. This essay explores why honest process labels matter—for customers, for makers, and for preserving the distinction between handwork and machine-assisted fabrication.

Black Friday once worked because it was rare and clear. By stretching it into weeks, months, and endless “special” events, retailers diluted its meaning. What once created urgency now feels like noise, proving that when everything is promoted as exceptional, nothing feels that way.

JamesAllenWrites.com reposting of author participation policy