Are you tired of the modern internet yet? Of the incessant intrusive fracking of our attention by mega-corporations with the morals of a week old rat corpse lying face down in a sewer? Of how every website now demands a subscription before letting you in? Of not being able to repair your own devices because they were glued shut in the factory? Or of owning nothing, and having to rent everything - your music collection, your movies, your books, your games, even the ink in your printer? 

Yeah. I am too. I believe that to get back what we’ve lost - ownership, repairability, privacy - we need a strong and thriving creative commons. We need a world where strong communities are built on shared ideas and where information is equitably shared. Culture should never be accessible only to those well heeled enough to be able to pay for it. 

Meet Endpapers. It’s a creative studio/experiment that I’m building as my instrument of change in an increasingly unstable world. Endpapers walks under a simple motto: “Concordia res parvae crescent” - “In harmony small things grow”. I intend to make a contribution of value, however large or small, to the commons. The world could use something helpful instead of harmful, something to showcase humanity at our best, through word, deed, and action.

To accomplish this goal, Endpapers is led by four core values. These act as the compass that guides the work and decisions for the project:

1. Made by human hands. My work is made with care for the process, not just the end result. I don't use generative AI, preferring instead to learn and infuse my work with human care and dignity. I love what I do, and have no wish to outsource it to a machine in the name of efficiency.
2. The future is analog. Digital tools have given us a lot, but they are not all-encompassing. Not every problem can or should be solved by yet another app. I appreciate the weight and friction of reality. Digital options are just one part of the diverse toolkit I use to solve problems.
3. Design demonstrates values. I put as much effort into the unseen parts of my work as I do for the parts the public sees. What I create is a demonstration of who I am - my values and the care I have for those who get to use my creations
4. Strong communities are built on a thriving creative commons. I believe that a thriving commons of shared knowledge and culture is vital to strong and resilient communities. I believe in a future where information is equitably and sustainably shared.

Endpaper, noun

a once-folded sheet of paper having one leaf pasted flat against the inside of the front or back cover of a book and the other pasted at the base to the first or last page

The endpapers of a book act as a hinge connecting the cover to the pages within. They’re the primary wear point for a book being read. They’re also the first thing a reader sees. Many books use the space to display elaborate art, setting the tone for what follows. It was in part my love of books and reading that lead to the idea for Endpapers. This creative experiment is my contribution to growing and protecting a thriving commons. 

This all sounds grand, I hear you say. But what does it look like when it’s awake? An easy question to answer. The primary creative outlet for Endpapers is the written word - essays, learning journals, serialised fiction, articles, and series that dive deep into subjects. My curiosity is fairly limitless, traversing technology, history, design, etiquette, botany, biography, skills, crafts, and more. 

The modern world can get so wrapped up in the latest tech firestorm that we lose sight of ourselves. It is my intent to publish work that dives into all the wealth of human creativity, not just what’s trapped in the digital realm. I write to remind others of the rich tapestry of the world, so that problems seem smaller, enemies less powerful, and the future filled with hope for better days. 

Beyond writing, I have interests in product design, digifab, graphic design, and urban sketching. All of which will make an appearance at some point, I’m sure. There’s plenty of ideas to explore, ranging from paper-craft, graphic design, analog watch design, and even novel gifts for travellers (such as preserving the collecting of passport stamps one gets when travelling, since the world is moving to digital immigration).

In order to contribute these works to the commons, all of Endpapers’ published work will be released under a Creative Commons CC-BY-SA license. For the design projects I undertake, I’ll be releasing the source files alongside any write ups on the work.

“In the same way your heart feels and your mind thinks, you, mortal beings, are the instrument by which the universe cares. If you choose to care, then the universe cares. If you don’t, then it doesn’t.” 

– Brennan Lee Mulligan (Fantasy High – Dimension 20) 

In a world awash with performative cruelty and the most banal of evils, I aim to misbehave. This is my outpost for a different path. One where we can be inspired by the news, not disheartened. One where we can celebrate our differences, not tear each other down over them. If Endpapers sounds like it’s your jam, welcome aboard. I’ve setup a free newsletter or an RSS feed if you’d prefer. Tell your friends. The commons thrives with more participants. If you’d like to say hi, share an idea or an article, or ask a question you can reach me at my personal email address - justin@endpapers.is

Until next time,

Justin.

This work is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0