Before MTV launched in 1981, there were really only 3 television channels in the United States. Which meant everyone in the entire country was tuned into the same programming. Prime time’s number one program in 1980, CBS’s Dallas, routinely captured over 20 million of the approximately 80 million US television viewers that year. This translates to nearly one quarter of the nation’s population walking, talking, and spending its money like JR.
The effect of this mass indoctrination was to teach us to all want the same thing. Hardly anyone in 1987 was combing the internet for obscure brands or otherwise looking for ways to set themselves apart. About the best one could ask for was a pair of Nikes and a Bud Light.
At that time, there was somewhere around four and a half billion people in the world. Soon that number will have doubled. Amidst this sea of humanity, creating a unique identity is paramount. Being extraordinary becomes more important than being like Mike.
In its quest for efficiency, the mass market served to homogenize. It capitalized on comparative advantage and inequality. It was designed around planned obsolescence. Individuality and autonomy was its sacrifice.
Today there is a different movement afoot. One focused on distinction, on originality, on personal expression. Out of the shadow of the assembly line, a new vision has appeared. It spans the recent dark age of craftsmanship, connecting the old world with our modern era.
Around this movement, a community has grown. People who understand there is such a thing as quality in the world, and who aspire to attain it. People who want to experience life through personal connections. MicroShiner was created to serve them.
MicroShiner is a destination designed to unite the craft community and connect them with producers and purveyors who share their passion for quality. Our goal is to curate the very best in spirits, goods, and culture from the craft space and share these sources of inspiration with the world.
Ours is a vision of the future. A future in which, upon meeting our basic needs, we aim higher. Where the term craft carries meaning, not merely as a marketing buzzword, but as a vital economic force that serves to strengthen our communities while enriching our lives.
In the spaces between these loftier goals, we champion kinship and good cheer, fueled by fine spirits. We believe that by focusing on the simplest aspects of life - a cocktail infused with love and attention to detail, spirits bottled by hand, a pair of benchcrafted boots - and refining them, we make the world a better place.
It is our belief that the quality of our experiences determines their worth, not the quantity of them. To that end, we seek to bring together the stories, images, and understanding necessary for you to craft your own unique expression of life, distilled. We hope you’ll join us on this journey.
