I think the author also misses that humans still make mugs. They're just low-skill, low-craft jobs in a factory instead. The parts that easy have been automated, while humans still handle the tough bits. The jobs have also been centralized and moved to a factory in a third-world country instead of being distributed, in every other town across the world.

To push <profession> the way of the potter is to commodify it, underpay the workers while draining the job of its craft and creativity. Then charge comparably wealthy people for the privilege of doing it for 2hrs a week as a recreational activity. A dozen people in major cities can get really good at it then have boutique studios where they charge wealthy people 100x the commodified price to be able to buy the same product but locally made.

We can't easily close Pandora's box of globalism and automation, but let's not glorify the destruction of craft and artisanship without recognition of the trade society made.

Sure. You could buy a house and raise a family by making hypercubes. It won't be easy though.

I have empathy for my fellow potters. But to deny the factory down the street exists is foolish.