My pal Kyle Wiens, founder of iFixit, is in Africa with Wired's Brian X. Chen to make a documentary about "e-waste in Africa, and the repair technicians who turn our unwanted junk into coveted treasures." He'll be reporting regularly on The Atlantic's Technology website.
How can we fight entropy? For starters, repairing our broken possessions and maintaining our machines. We need hackers, tinkerers, mechanics and repair technicians fighting for our survival. We need fixers.
The mechanics who keep the world running are the hidden strength of our civilization. They are the oil that keeps the engine of progress running smoothly. These specialized technicians are just as essential to society as the engineers who designed our technology.
But who are they? What motivates them to dissect filthy cars and inhale solder fumes every day? How do they learn their skill, in a world that disrespects their work and increasingly denigrates their trades? And finally, perhaps most importantly, at what point does repair become craftsmanship?
I'm going to find out. I'm going to go find these fixers and tell their story. I just left for Africa, where I'll be journeying through the slums of Kibera, Egypt's infamous Garbage City, and Cairo's electronics markets, revealing how and why fixers do what they do — their tips and tricks of the trade, life stories and philosophies.
