Why Everything Is Built Like Crap Now (And What That Says About Us)

A few years ago, when I still owned my old property, I built an 8-by-8 chicken coop. Solid lumber. Simple design. Nothing fancy. It went together fine — or at least, that’s what most people would say.

But when I stepped back and looked at it from the house, I could see it wasn’t quite right. It wasn’t terrible. It wasn’t falling apart. But it wasn’t straight the way I wanted it. It was off just enough that I noticed — and I knew I’d notice it every single day.

So I did something most people today would never do: I tore it all the way down and rebuilt it.

Not because anyone else complained. Not because it didn’t function. But because I wasn’t satisfied with my own work.

That wasn’t the only time. At that same property, I built a porch. The first version was technically correct — square, measured properly, usable. But I didn’t like how it looked. I knew I could do better. And I also knew that if I left it standing, I’d feel irritated every time I pulled into the driveway.

So I tore that down too. Took it all the way back to the dirt and rebuilt it from scratch. Twice the work. No shortcuts. No regrets.

I’ve sold that property since then, but the mindset hasn’t changed.

What Happened to Pride in Work?

It seems like more and more people today just don’t care about the quality of what they do. If it works, it works. If it passes inspection, great. If nobody complains, even better. Straight lines, clean joints, attention to detail — those things feel optional now.

And I don’t mean pride in a boastful way. I’m not talking about ego. I’m talking about personal standards. The quiet satisfaction of knowing you did something right — not because someone was watching, but because you were.

My grandpa was that way. If something wasn’t right, he’d tear it down and redo it, even if it meant more time, more effort, more work. My dad, on the other hand, didn’t care much at all. As long as it got done, that was enough. Crooked, lopsided, thrown together — no big deal.

I guess I inherited my standards from my grandpa.

“Good Enough” Is the New Goal

Today, it feels like “good enough” has become the finish line. People rush through projects just to get them out of the way. They don’t care how it looks. They don’t care how long it lasts. They don’t care that they’re going to see it every day.

And that’s the part I don’t understand.

If you’re building something for yourself — a coop, a porch, a shed, a garden bed — why wouldn’t you want it done right? Why wouldn’t you want to look at it and feel good about it instead of annoyed?

I couldn’t live with shoddy work. It eats at me. Every crooked line feels like a reminder that I didn’t give something my best effort. I’d rather redo it than carry that feeling around.

It’s Bigger Than Building

This isn’t just about carpentry. You see this mindset everywhere now. Sloppy work. Minimal effort. No care taken because “it doesn’t really matter.” People seem to take more pride in video game scores than in the things they create with their own hands.

That’s not progress. That’s decay.

When people stop caring about their work, they stop caring about themselves too. Standards drop. Expectations fall. And mediocrity becomes normal.

A Simple Question

So here’s my question to you:

If you build something and it’s not right — will you tear it down and do it again?

Or will you shrug and say, “Good enough”?

Because there’s a real difference between finishing something and doing it right. And that difference shows up everywhere.

Order my books in paperback and Kindle from Amazon Check out these awesome products I use and recommend…

Thank you