I, Pencil (2)

"I, Pencil: My Family Tree as told to Leonard E. Read":

I, Pencil, am a complex combination of miracles: a tree, zinc, copper, graphite, and so on. But to these miracles which manifest themselves in Nature an even more extraordinary miracle has been added: the configuration of creative human energies—millions of tiny know-hows configurating naturally and spontaneously in response to human necessity and desire and in the absence of any human master-minding! Since only God can make a tree, I insist that only God could make me. Man can no more direct these millions of know-hows to bring me into being than he can put molecules together to create a tree.

John Stossel’s Politically Incorrect Guide to Politics

We Don't Need Anyone to Run the World by John Stossel:

Imagine you had never seen a skating rink. I tell you, "I'm going to invite 100 people down to strap blades to their feet and race around as they like." You say, "That's insane! Someone must coordinate all those people."

Like skaters at an ice rink, we trace our way in the economy making decisions for ourselves. It works out pretty darned well. Prices help guide our way.

Most of life works by spontaneous order. It characterizes how we choose our jobs, hobbies, associates, recreation, etc. When politicians try to regulate the process, they usually make life worse.

I try to demonstrate that in my upcoming ABC TV special, "John Stossel's Politically Incorrect Guide to Politics."

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6