gumption public works

“ Mr. Hildebrandt loathes the awe given to 21st-century thingamabobs because, he says, “really it’s fear and stupidity. It’s the feeling of those apes in 2001 staring at that giant black monolith. When I’m with my steampunk stuff, I feel comfortable, like it’s real and it’s mine and I get it. It’s from a time before mass production, before industry kinda ruined things by handing us machines instead of helping us make them ourselves.” After a pensive pause, he says something that would make marketing hucksters shudder: “As much as I like my Telecalculograph, I would honestly like it a lot less if I just ordered it from Circuit City or Best Buy or whatever. ” - Charm And Rigor — Richard Morgan