Story perspectives

Stewart Brand: Maintenance Key to Technological Progress

2/5/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Stewart Brand, co-creator of the Whole Earth Catalog, argues in Maintenance: Of Everything that maintenance is vital for technological progress.
Brand traces the history of interchangeable parts and how innovations—from military engineering to the Industrial Revolution—shaped manufacturing.
He notes that manufacturing precision has evolved significantly, with modern chip fabricators achieving five nanometre precision.
Brand references Diderot’s Encyclopédie, which celebrated blue-collar skills and emphasized their role in shaping progress.

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Story summary

Stewart Brand, co-creator of the Whole Earth Catalog, argues in Maintenance: Of Everything that maintenance is vital for technological progress.
Brand traces the history of interchangeable parts and how innovations—from military engineering to the Industrial Revolution—shaped manufacturing.
He notes that manufacturing precision has evolved significantly, with modern chip fabricators achieving five nanometre precision.
Brand references Diderot’s Encyclopédie, which celebrated blue-collar skills and emphasized their role in shaping progress.