"I, Pencil"

“I, Pencil” HW
Summary: The background of products is carelessly overlooked by mankind, and if this persists, before long, our society will fall apart. There are “innumerable antecedents” that we know far to little about to be able to make a decision to buy a product. Nothing can be overlooked for each element in a products production is as significant as another. There is no-one in charge who actually knows where heir product, in its entirety, came from, and neither do the consumers who buy them so we do not have any right to use them. If one was aware of the origin of the products they so relish, then they would see why not to use them. Remove government obstacles and have faith that free people will make the right decisions.

Quotes: “Sadly, I am taken for granted by those who use me, as if I were a mere incident and without background. This supercilious attitude relegates me to the level of the commonplace. This is a species of the grievous error in which mankind cannot too long persist without peril.”

“The absence of a master-mind, of anyone dictating or forcibly directing these countless actions which bring me into being.”

“ If one is aware that these know-hows will naturally, yes, automatically arrange themselves into creative and productive patterns in response to human necessity and demand- that is in the absence of governmental or any other master-minding- then one will possess an absolutely essential ingredient for freedom: a faith in free people. Freedom is impossible without this faith.”

Analysis: At a glance I noticed the land labor and capital in this brief soliloquy. After reading it a second time, I noticed that it was condemning more than just capitalism, but government as well. This absence of any master-mind, any all knowing director of this process of product creation, show that no-one, not the owners, not the labor, not the consumer, knows of every collaborating element that leads to the creation of a product. If anyone was aware of all the blood, sweat tears, and corruption that goes into making a product they would certainly not buy it. Thinking about it further, I noticed that government creates obstacles that require us to use these products that we know nothing about. Fro example indecent exposure laws require us to wear clothing, and work and school force people to commute(cars, bicycles)> Having all these ideas thrown at me I saw that the pencil was describing anarchy, or total lack of government and market.





I apologize, this is more biased, I took the concept and applied it to my own opinions, I will make up this assignment.