Stewart Brand’s “Maintenance” Urges Tech Industry to Prioritize Sustainability and Upkeep Over Innovation

Rethinking Innovation: Stewart Brand’s Manifesto for Maintenance in the Age of Disruption

Stewart Brand, a name synonymous with counterculture ingenuity and Silicon Valley’s visionary ethos, has once again shifted the conversation on technology and society with his latest book, “Maintenance: Of Everything, Part One.” At 87, Brand is not content to rest on his laurels. Instead, he is urging business and technology leaders to reconsider a foundational, often neglected principle: the stewardship of the systems that quietly sustain our modern world.

Far from a nostalgic plea to slow progress, Brand’s thesis is a sophisticated challenge to the prevailing myth of perpetual novelty. In an era where “move fast and break things” has become a mantra, Brand’s call to honor maintenance is both radical and prescient. His work resonates deeply in boardrooms and engineering labs alike, particularly as organizations grapple with the hidden costs of relentless innovation and the fragility it can introduce to economic, environmental, and geopolitical infrastructures.

The Hidden Costs of Disposability

Brand’s argument cuts to the heart of a historic tension—novelty versus durability. While the likes of Tesla and SpaceX have redefined what is technologically possible, the relentless push to minimize or even eliminate maintenance often leaves critical vulnerabilities in its wake. The allure of maintenance-free products, though seductive, masks a sobering reality: every system, no matter how advanced, requires care and attention to prevent catastrophic failure.

This is not merely a theoretical concern. Brand’s comparisons between military logistics and the failures observed in conflicts such as the Vietnam War and ongoing struggles in Ukraine underscore how neglecting maintenance can have dire consequences. In both business and national security, robust maintenance practices are not a luxury but a necessity. Regulatory bodies and risk managers would do well to heed Brand’s warning, rethinking oversight mechanisms to ensure that reliability and resilience are embedded in every stage of a product’s life cycle—not just at launch.

Maintenance as a Strategic Imperative

Brand’s vision extends beyond infrastructure and into the very culture of technology. The democratization of knowledge, powered by platforms like YouTube, is fostering a new generation of “maintenance literate” individuals. This shift is more than a grassroots movement—it is a strategic imperative for organizations seeking long-term sustainability.

For business leaders, integrating maintenance education into workforce development and corporate social responsibility programs is an opportunity to build adaptive, resilient teams. It also signals a shift in values: from the disposability of consumer culture to the stewardship of enduring assets. By elevating maintenance from a back-office concern to a boardroom priority, companies can future-proof their operations and contribute to a more robust, knowledge-sharing society.

Sustainability, Circular Economies, and the Climate Imperative

Brand’s insights are especially salient in the context of climate change. As extreme weather and resource constraints place unprecedented stress on infrastructure, the case for maintenance becomes both an economic and ecological necessity. Repair, preservation, and the extension of asset lifespans are central tenets of the circular economy—a model that aligns profit with planetary stewardship.

Policymakers are beginning to take note, experimenting with incentives for repair and maintenance that could help shift entire industries away from the wasteful cycle of planned obsolescence. This renewed focus on upkeep not only conserves resources but also strengthens the resilience of communities in the face of environmental disruption.

The Enduring Value of Stewardship

Stewart Brand’s “Maintenance: Of Everything, Part One” is more than a book—it is a timely provocation for an era besotted with disruption. By reframing maintenance as a core value, Brand invites us to reconsider the systems that underpin not just our economies, but our very civilization. His vision bridges the gap between the lessons of history and the demands of the future, challenging leaders to balance the thrill of innovation with the quiet, essential work of stewardship. In a world of rapid technological change, the true mark of progress may well be our willingness to care for what we create.