Have you read, "I, Pencil" ?

[BTDretire]

Years ago a read a short essay titled "I, Pencil" ?
 The idea just gives me pleasure to think how the invisible hand
just guides production along without any one entity controlling it.
 The simple idea that someone thinks they can profit, and this huge
 world economy flows from that.

 "I, Pencil"
https://www.econlib.org/library/Essays/rdPncl.html?chapter_num=2#book-reader

[vand]

Yep, it's beautiful illustration of the power of free markets.

There was an attempt that to update it for the kidz of today by replacing the pencil with the iPad.. "I, iPad". But the reason it works so well is because of the simplicity and timelessness of the Pencil.

If you like "I, Pencil" then you will love Henry Hazlitt's "Economics In One Lesson", which should be mandatory reading for all politicians.

[YttriumNitrate]

There's a great Freakanomic's podcast episode where they discuss "I, Pencil" and someone's attempt to do an "I, Toaster" which resulted in slightly warmed bread after several thousands of dollars spent trying to make the various parts.