"Father Teaches Craft" explores the fading tradition of fathers passing down artisanal skills to their sons, a cornerstone of family and community life for centuries. It delves into how industrialization and the changing labor market disrupted this intergenerational learning, impacting both economic stability and the very definition of masculinity. The book highlights how this skill transmission went beyond mere job training; it solidified family bonds and ensured the continuation of valuable crafts.
The book examines the shift from handcrafts to mass production, revealing how the rise of factories rendered many inherited skills obsolete, leading to shifts in family dynamics and male identity. For instance, skills once vital for survival and status, such as blacksmithing or carpentry, diminished in value as machines took over. This societal change is not just a historical account but also an exploration of how the erosion of tangible skills can lead to a sense of disconnection.
Spanning from pre-industrial societies to modern times, the book uses historical documents, oral histories, and sociological studies to paint a detailed picture of this transformation. It begins by establishing the historical context, then examines the impact of industrialization, and concludes by discussing the modern implications of this shift, offering a nuanced understanding of how economic changes have shaped society.
