« Micro Contrasted with Macro | Main | Pigs Can't Fly» Russell Roberts
September 29, 2005
How It's Made
Don Boudreaux
One of my son's favorite television show (I proudly reveal!) is a show on the Science Channel called "How It's Made." (I apologize: I can find no really good link to the show; the link here is just the Science Channel's scheduled airing of the show.)
Each half-hour segment features three or four explanations of how ordinary things are manufactured. Among the familiar items whose manufacture Thomas and I have learned about by watching this program are digital CDs, mozzarella cheese, sliced bread, pantyhose, and toothpicks.
Several things strike me about this program. Here’s one.
The level of automation is truly astonishing. Viewers of "How It’s Made" almost never see a human being. It’s almost all machines – computerized robots – doing the work. Even the most mundane of everyday items such as sliced bread and toothpicks are produced today with truly impressive advanced technology.
Watching "How It’s Made" last night brought to mind Adam Smith’s important insight that one advantage of the division of labor is that as tasks become more specialized they are more likely to become mechanized, thereby releasing scarce, precious human labor to do other valuable jobs.
We live truly in a world of wonders. The lowly toothpick – a splinter of birch wood – is the product of millions upon millions of dollars of investment and unmeasurable human creativity – and, of course, our happy propensity to truck, barter, and exchange,
Posted by Don Boudreaux in Film, Media, Science, Standard of Living, Technology | Permalink
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d834518ccc69e200d83425293953ef
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference How It's Made:
» WHAT HAPPENED TO TEACHING READING COMPREHENSION? from Cold Spring Shops
I asked this question on a principles of microeconomics examination Wednesday. [Read More]
Tracked on Sep 29, 2005 6:01:44 PM
» How It's Made from Can I Get A What What
Link: Cafe Hayek: How It's Made. This is a very cool show. It is AMAZING to see all of the technology it takes to get things done. Did you see the one on aluminum foil? [Read More]
Tracked on Oct 11, 2005 9:18:15 AM
» Get A Free Catalog from Online Catalog
Phrase Search Catalog Quick Add Request a Free Catalog ...
[Read More]
Tracked on Mar 26, 2006 6:02:31 AM
» Updates on Mozilla 1.7.5, Firefox 2.0, Thunderbird 1.0, and Nvu 0.6 from today (2004-11-24)
1.7.3, but no 1.7.4. These updates could mean that the mozilla.org will be stepping away from incrementing version number. [Read More]
Tracked on Mar 29, 2006 10:46:18 PM
» Reigniting a call to action from no one had any
to march in the streets and end up altering a major debate in Congress over immigration [Read More]
Tracked on Mar 31, 2006 2:37:17 AM
» Full Albums Archive from MP3 Album Finder
Enter Artist or Song or Album name to search: ... Download VA - –усска€ коллекци€ 4 «олотой шл€гер 70 х (1973 1979) mp3 ... [Read More]
Tracked on Apr 5, 2006 2:48:16 AM
» Cell Phone Chargers-eBay from Cell phones: Cell phone reviews, Mobile phone reviews
Battery chargers are made to fit particular cell phone models. ... Car chargers are one of the most popular cell phone accessories. ... [Read More]
Tracked on Apr 16, 2006 4:47:01 AM
» Free & Open Source Software Portal: Search from An Online Directory
Popular links · Discussion Forum. Directory Search. By Keyword. Advanced Search. Directory New Links. New links added this week. links in Portal... [Read More]
Tracked on Apr 27, 2006 12:25:05 AM
» Latest Air Jordans Commercial - Jumpman XXI from playoff rivalry...
highlight reels and assorted montages put together by fans, including:
MJ's Top 10 Dunks (dunk #8's [Read More]
Tracked on Apr 27, 2006 2:19:08 PM
» Finance Search Online: american professional agency insurance from Business Finance Online
Business Finance Online Product/Service Directory. Search for business finance related products and services by browsing the directory of business finance ... [Read More]
Tracked on Apr 28, 2006 1:35:19 AM
» Europages, European directory from Open Directory Project
Multilingual european business directory, 600000 european companies, european company directory and business opportunities, trade leads, ... [Read More]
Tracked on Apr 28, 2006 2:55:15 PM
» The Interactive NGC Catalog Online from Official Catalog
The Interactive NGC Catalog Online. This is the interactive NGC (and IC, and Messier) catalog at SEDS, based on the famous NGC 2000.0 by RW Sinnott of Sky ... [Read More]
Tracked on Apr 30, 2006 12:43:26 AM
» SmartPhone Today: Torq P100 from Smartphone Reviews; Best SmartPhones
The Internet's 3rd Party information center for SmartPhone Shareware, SmartPhone Freeware, Reviews, Hardware, Discussion, and more! Updated Daily... [Read More]
Tracked on Apr 30, 2006 4:38:05 AM
» Find search engines across the world with Search Engine from World Search
Gain quick, efficient access to search engines from countries around the world with Search Engine Colossus - International Directory of Search Engines. [Read More]
Tracked on May 7, 2006 1:55:53 AM
» Essay: An Old Idea: What Ails the Body Is Rooted in the Mind from diseases have
that many diseases have their origins in emotional distress — had its heyday in the 1950's. [Read More]
Tracked on May 18, 2006 3:28:38 AM
» LeBron, Arenas Rivalry Best Show in Playoffs from on their own
Gilbert Arenas craves. Judged on their own merits, they are two of the NBA's top young players. Pitted against each [Read More]
Tracked on May 19, 2006 8:49:54 PM
» Dictionary Search Page from Dictionary Search
An unabridged dictionary from aalii to zymurgy, including a pronunciation guide... [Read More]
Tracked on May 21, 2006 6:02:48 PM
» Welcome to Ukrainian Gift Shop from Gifts Shop
Ukrainian Gift Shop is the world's largest source of Pysanky, Ukrainian Easter eggs, and Pysanky supplies... [Read More]
Tracked on May 23, 2006 7:16:12 AM
» Croshere: Pacers Ready to Compete from after a 41-41
41-41 season that probably wasn't as good as the record indicated, writes Dave D'Alessandro [Read More]
Tracked on May 25, 2006 6:40:03 AM
» Die Schweizer Suchmaschine from dir.pogovorim.com
Suchmaschine fr die Schweiz mit regionaler Volltextsuche (im domain und in weiteren Sites mit... [Read More]
Tracked on May 27, 2006 5:19:56 AM
» Cambridge Dictionaries Online: knights templar from online dictonary
Free online dictionary from Cambridge University Press [Read More]
Tracked on May 27, 2006 6:27:19 AM
» Hollywood Creative Directory from Directory Map
Contact information for the film, television and new media industries.
[Read More]
Tracked on May 27, 2006 10:20:13 AM
» President Pledges Aid to Troubled Sudan from Get Louder and
Get Louder and Bush Says the Recent Peace Agreement Is a Positive Step [Read More]
Tracked on May 29, 2006 11:45:42 PM
» Internal Audit: Resources for Internal Auditors from Audit Company
Internal Audit - is the Web portal and online community for the internal audit profession provides free audit work programs, ICQ's, checklists, ...
[Read More]
Tracked on Jun 6, 2006 8:27:48 PM
» Le Batard: Heat Step It Up too Late from first 46 minutes
writes Dan Le Batard of the MIAMI HERALD. If only Miami had exhibited the same oxymoronic [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 8, 2006 5:04:43 AM
» bloodless doctor surgery from Medicine Words
Medicine Dictionaries and Word References Emergency Medical Technology ...
[Read More]
Tracked on Jul 25, 2006 12:37:18 AM
» DHS authorization bill: A mandate for info sharing from new office would
Systemwide Homeland Security Analysis and Resource Exchange network the Markle Foundation proposed several [Read More]
Tracked on Jul 25, 2006 3:29:53 AM
» Wiki: Search Results from MostDor
Search Results · WelcomeVisitors . . . . . . WhatIsWiki WhatIsWiki . . . . . . WhatIsWiki. 2 pages found out of 22 pages searched. ... [Read More]
Tracked on Aug 4, 2006 5:59:30 AM
» Search Results Page - a from ondmd
Your search results page is packed with information. ... [Read More]
Tracked on Aug 10, 2006 8:24:36 AM
» Ru-Энциклопедия from Words 2005-2006
Most Popular Words from Internet... [Read More]
Tracked on Aug 14, 2006 7:49:31 PM
» Энциклопедия рунета from Internet Search
Выберите интересующий Вас раздел: 0-9 B C D E F G H I L M O R S T V W А Б В Г Д Е Ж З И К Л М Н О П Р С Т У Ф Х Ц Ч Ш Щ Э Ю Я TOP 20... [Read More]
Tracked on Aug 15, 2006 9:00:42 AM
