The Religion is Nature. The Philosophy is Geometry

After teaching a woodworking class in the Before Times, a bunch of students and I walked to our local dive bar on 9th Street for a beer. After some chit-chat about trees and wood and tools, one of the younger students uttered the sentence you never want to hear in the presence of alcohol.

“I’d like to talk about the difference between art and craft.”

The table went silent. The other students fixed eyes on their beers, their hands or the ceramic buffalo in the corner, kind of the way you can’t look your partner in the eye after a night of weird sex.

I waited. Is this a prank? After 30 seconds of uncomfortable throat clearing and quiet sighs, I spoke up.

“Well, it’s like the difference between art and pornography. Most people, like me, think there’s a difference. The distinction changes over time. And people draw the line between the two at very slightly different places.

“Oh, and the only people who care deeply about this question are not practitioners.

“And um, that’s it.”

It was as if I’d s…