Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas · Sean Carroll

Stewart Brand on Maintenance as an Organizing Principle

January 19, 2026·1 hr 13 min·5 clips

Stewart Brand reveals why maintainers often understand complex systems better than the people who built them.

Sean Carroll interviews Stewart Brand about his book on maintenance, exploring how it underpins everything from quantum physics to global civilization. They discuss cultural attitudes, the right to repair movement, and stories like the Golden Globe Race, highlighting maintenance as a crucial but overlooked organizing principle.

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