The socialists, quasi-socialists and plain old economic illiterates currently at the head of our country could learn a lot by watching the above video of I Pencil and reading the 1958 essay I, Pencil by Leonard E Reed. Go here to read it. The complexities of markets can never be commanded by governments, merely distorted or destroyed. During the hard times that lie ahead in the next four years, remember the pencil!
Go here to read I, Twinkie on Babalu blog.
And yet one man, with a knife, a fire, a twig, and a glue pot, you can create a pencil.
The eraser is much more complex, but I’ve created a pencil. The opposite side of the market, is the survivalist.
For whom life, in the immortal phrase of Hobbes, would probably prove “nasty, bruitish and short” if civilization ever did completely collapse.
Everybody was a survivalist 10,000 years ago.
The problem isn’t that the “socialists, quasi-socialists, and plain old economic illiterates that head our country” are illiterate and don’t understand this process, they resent it and, in their pursuit of naked power want to destroy it.
“Everybody was a survivalist 10,000 years ago.”
And most did a pretty poor job of it.
They use facts like drunks use lightpoles – for support not for illumination.
They voted based on fiscal statistics/conditions distorted/propagandized to prey on their vices (envy, wrath, etc.); and Obama successfully “called evil good and good evil.”
As this continues apace, it is likely we will devolve into nasty brutes clawing and tearing at each other.
Hey, Dixon Ticonderoga: That pencil … you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.