NSL Blog

Lessons from Patagonia's Founder Yvon Chouinard

May 8, 2014

Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia strikes me as a true Craftsman. The civilizing craftsman uses his tools and his labours for the collective good. Chouinard wants us to stop being consumers and start being thoughtful global citizens. His work to make us think more deeply abut the world we inhabit.

He also makes a very key point which is as much philosophical as well as practical – made by observing natural systems. Every empire collapses. Nature doesn’t like empires. It doesn’t like accumulation in one place, it doesn’t like monoculture. It’s always trying to make diverse species. It wants to spread everything out. And we’re constantly trying to hold everything in.

He has six life lessons

1. Optimism is a waste of time
2. Keep it simple
3. Climb every mountain
4. Cheaters never prosper
5. Consumerism is killing us
6. Travel slowly

Journey further

• The responsible economy (Patagonia)
• The social craftsman (Richard Sennett video)
• The journey to a commons based economy (Post)
• Ecuador planning a commons based economy (Post)