What defines you?

Once again I’m away from my shop traveling for my day job so I must resort to typing instead of woodworking. One thing that has come up several times recently that has caught my attention is this thing of titles. Now this isn’t just about woodworking or other crafts but can probably be related to just about every part of life. I realize that it is human nature to want to feel like you belong… after all why are gangs and terrorist organizations still getting recruits. But when a persons need to feel good about themselves is only possible by either finding fault in someone else or by starting a war than we have an issue. Now I don’t think there has been a conflict in the arts and craft world since the war between the hand tool and power tool woodworkers of ’78 and the knitters and wood carvers of 1812.

But the question I would like to pose is this… Is what you do define you? or do you define what you do?

Our whole life we are placed under one title after another that most people are conditioned to need that. Regardless of what title you put on yourself and whether it defines you or vice versus, why would a person feel the need to look down on someone because they do something differently. The internet of course has just made this easier since people can now lash out with saying things that they wouldn’t dare say to someones face. But this new venue of communication has giving people a titanium back bone and brass reproductive parts (gender dependent).

I think its sad when I see people bounce around trying to keep up with the newest craze or just equally as sad is someone who is holding on to yesterday just because they are afraid of change. If you are a hand tool woodworker than be ok with that because you enjoy it. I happen to love my tools… and yes I mean all of them.

The latest craze of being a YouTube woodworker has caused some controversy is certain circles also. For some people the number of subscribers to their channel has created a Hollywood celebrity mentality on a smaller scale. Others are honestly just trying to share with others what they have learned. Crowd funding is not really something new. Public broadcasting has been doing it for years now. I personally suck at crowd funding since I have started two unsuccessful “Kickstarter” campaigns. Now in the end both projects were eventually funded by saving up the money myself but there were still some lessons learned.

As some of you know, I do have a YouTube channel… but I want to make and sell items made from wood (and maybe record a project from time to time to share). Does this make me a YouTube woodworker… or a woodworker on YouTube? How about neither, I am just me, and that my friends is good enough for me. I love the craft of woodworking so naturally I want to share it with everyone I come in contact with. Trust me my non-woodworking friends are probably tired of me talking about it. But I love to share my passion with others and the multiple online outlets is just a few options. But that doesn’t change the fact that my dream is to one day make my living as someone who makes things for others in exchange for currency. Could this possibly be just a dream… maybe. But I can’t wait to get the opportunity to find out.

So my challenge to everyone is to not just let what you do define you, but you define what you do!

I would also love to hear your thoughts on the subject so leave a comment or shoot me a message.

2 Comments on “What defines you?

  1. I think that question has a common sense answer, i.m.o. I think that any and all action/s, re-actions, inter-action/s, good and/or bad gestures, and just everything we do as a human defines us as a person.
    I know there are a large amount of folks out there whom, in my opinion, need some serious schooling on this simple subject, common sense,.
    That’s my answer, and I’m stickin to it.. 🙂
    I might be off the mark, but, that’s how my crazy-brain works.

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