Wabi-sabi or sloppy? Philosopher Patrick Stokes on distinguishing authentic imperfection from shoddy work

Philosopher Patrick Stokes of Deakin University examines the Western appropriation of the Japanese concept wabi-sabi, which has been reduced to a buzzword for selling imperfect handcrafts and a viral TikTok trend. Grounded in Buddhist impermanence, wabi-sabi embraces imperfection, transience, and incompleteness, but Stokes argues it is not a license for half-hearted work. Drawing on his own woodturning journey—from a cedar candle stick to a camphor laurel bowl critiqued by master turner Richard Raffan—he explores the line between charming imperfection and sloppiness. Stokes cites kintsugi (gold-repaired cracked pots) as exemplifying wabi-sabi's demand for skill, not just acceptance of flaws. He references philosopher Hubert Dreyfus's concept of "skilful coping" and Tool's Adam Jones ("it's done when it's good") to argue that wabi-sabi requires learned craft and problem-solving. Stokes links the concept's Western popularity to a reaction against AI-generated text and images, echoing Walter Benjamin's 1930s argument that mechanical reproduction strips art of its "aura." He warns against cheap imitations like distressed architecture or relic'd guitars, which mimic patina without genuine use. Ultimately, wabi-sabi is a rebellion for the human and fallible, but skill still matters—things take time.