PBS’s NewsHour recently aired a thought-provoking piece that relates closely to what we webcartoonists do. Calling it “The Artisan Economy,” NewsHour delved into people like us who attempt to launch small, niche businesses based on the value of our personal offerings.

What makes them artisan is that they’re not standardized occupations; they involve what he calls “personal flair” in each stage of the job.But this movement is about a lot more than hipsters bucking a traditional career path. Katz believes the artisan economy can help shore up the American middle class by creating new jobs to replace those mass production and middle management jobs lost to outsourcing or new technology.

After watching the video (below), read the sidebar piece on the NewsHour Web site. It argues that the best preparation for a young person coming into this economy is a liberal arts eduction. There’s lots to discuss!

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