Love & Philosophy #76 The Care of Things: Philosophy of Maintenance & Making Things Last with Jérome Denis and David Pontille
Nov 23, 2025
In this engaging discussion, guests Jérome Denis and David Pontille, both scholars from France, dive into the philosophy of maintenance. They explore how everyday care connects to social dynamics and infrastructure, revealing the fragility of urban signage and the multisensory nature of maintenance work. The conversation highlights the often overlooked, yet vital role of maintenance, using examples like the Paris Metro and classic Mustangs. They also link maintenance to feminist care ethics, emphasizing the unseen labor that sustains our daily lives.
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The Metro Signage Discovery
- Jérôme and David began studying Paris Metro signage and only later followed the maintenance crew.
- That fieldwork overturned their initial view that signs were immutable and led to a decade-plus research collaboration.
Immutability Is Performed
- Maintenance produces apparent immutability: fragile signs become 'solid' through ongoing care.
- The book argues standardized durability is a performance enacted by maintainers, not an inherent property.
Materials As Flows
- Maintenance work engages with materials as flowing processes rather than bounded objects.
- Follow-the-maintainer fieldwork reveals how bodies and senses tune to material interactions and transformations.
