341 | Stewart Brand on Maintenance as an Organizing Principle

The podcast explores the concept of maintenance as a fundamental yet often overlooked aspect of civilization, guided by Stewart Brand, the author of "Maintenance of Everything." Brand discusses how maintenance, driven by the second law of thermodynamics, is essential for preserving complex systems. He highlights the importance of understanding the broader system in which maintenance occurs, referencing examples from Japanese culture, the military, and aerospace. The conversation touches on the right to repair movement, the role of the internet in facilitating maintenance knowledge, and the Long Now Foundation's 10,000-year clock. Brand argues that maintaining planetary biosphere and global civilization requires recognizing maintenance as a critical art, essential for navigating political and environmental challenges.