Who invented the pencil and what is so important about it?
Who invented the pencil and what is so important about it?
Hymen L. Lipman (March 20, 1817 - November 4, 1893) is credited with registering the first patent for a pencil with an attached eraser on March 30, 1858 (U.S. Patent 19,783). Hymen L. Lipman was born March 20, 1817, in Kingston, Jamaica, to English parents. He immigrated to the United States around 1829 with them, arriving in Philadelphia, Pa., where he resided for the remainder of his life.
The idea of the video below is, that the complexity of a simple pencil proves that it requires the work of "many" and not that of just one individual ( I am paraphrasing ). Apparently the professionals would say that the short story written by: Leonard E. Read and adapted into this video is about creative destruction - about finding new better ways to create more with less that serves more people. But fist the video.
In basic terms the professionals say that the free markets work by creative destruction. For instance the pencil supposed creation was when graphite was found and it was used to mark sheep’s, as time passed new methods were created and the pencil evolved - different method for graphite, wood casing, the attachment of eraser as patented by Lipman. Of course as we continue into the future we have mechanical pencils and so forth.
The idea is that slowly but surely as the pencil evolves the old ways of doing things die off (new creation does away with the old and business close as new ones open). This opens the conversation up for economics, jobs and so forth - but for me I see only one thing, change.
If we refuse to change: I am not talking about morals or principals - I refer to knowledge and adaptation, we refuse to move forward and we fade into obsoleteness. I am not a fan of change for the sake of change - but the fact is, things change and we have to keep up if we are to stay relevant.
Think of it this way: If because you loved horses and didn't want them to lose their jobs of pulling horse drawn carriages - you continue to build horse drawn carriages, how long do you think you would stay in business? Capitalism works under a simple premise - supply and demand. It does not matter how many horse drawn carriages I build or own - people want cars.
So when I think about teaching my children the basic of learning (knowledge) I focus on what will not change - a self determination to continue to learn, determination to succeed, the "know how" in how to find and research information pertinent to what is needed.
Twenty years or so ago people were teaching their children Japanese as a second language because they were the economic power house. In 2012 people started teaching their children Chinese ( Mandarin ) as a second language because they were the rising economic power house at the time. My point, Japan has fallen from grace, China is struggling economically and the world is (in 2013) struggling financially - what did learning a second language do to help these people succeed?
I work in the school system and every 2 to 3 years the teachers have a new way to teach, a new system, a new method - but does it really help. Like learning a second language - it's nice, may help but in essence does very little for success. New systems are being created every day - someone out there is probably working on a new way of doing something, but I ask you: who reaps the rewards and who succeeds in becoming wealthier?
The I, Pencil
Hymen L. Lipman (March 20, 1817 - November 4, 1893) is credited with registering the first patent for a pencil with an attached eraser on March 30, 1858 (U.S. Patent 19,783). Hymen L. Lipman was born March 20, 1817, in Kingston, Jamaica, to English parents. He immigrated to the United States around 1829 with them, arriving in Philadelphia, Pa., where he resided for the remainder of his life.
The idea of the video below is, that the complexity of a simple pencil proves that it requires the work of "many" and not that of just one individual ( I am paraphrasing ). Apparently the professionals would say that the short story written by: Leonard E. Read and adapted into this video is about creative destruction - about finding new better ways to create more with less that serves more people. But fist the video.
In basic terms the professionals say that the free markets work by creative destruction. For instance the pencil supposed creation was when graphite was found and it was used to mark sheep’s, as time passed new methods were created and the pencil evolved - different method for graphite, wood casing, the attachment of eraser as patented by Lipman. Of course as we continue into the future we have mechanical pencils and so forth.
The idea is that slowly but surely as the pencil evolves the old ways of doing things die off (new creation does away with the old and business close as new ones open). This opens the conversation up for economics, jobs and so forth - but for me I see only one thing, change.
If we refuse to change: I am not talking about morals or principals - I refer to knowledge and adaptation, we refuse to move forward and we fade into obsoleteness. I am not a fan of change for the sake of change - but the fact is, things change and we have to keep up if we are to stay relevant.
Think of it this way: If because you loved horses and didn't want them to lose their jobs of pulling horse drawn carriages - you continue to build horse drawn carriages, how long do you think you would stay in business? Capitalism works under a simple premise - supply and demand. It does not matter how many horse drawn carriages I build or own - people want cars.
So when I think about teaching my children the basic of learning (knowledge) I focus on what will not change - a self determination to continue to learn, determination to succeed, the "know how" in how to find and research information pertinent to what is needed.
Twenty years or so ago people were teaching their children Japanese as a second language because they were the economic power house. In 2012 people started teaching their children Chinese ( Mandarin ) as a second language because they were the rising economic power house at the time. My point, Japan has fallen from grace, China is struggling economically and the world is (in 2013) struggling financially - what did learning a second language do to help these people succeed?
I work in the school system and every 2 to 3 years the teachers have a new way to teach, a new system, a new method - but does it really help. Like learning a second language - it's nice, may help but in essence does very little for success. New systems are being created every day - someone out there is probably working on a new way of doing something, but I ask you: who reaps the rewards and who succeeds in becoming wealthier?
The I, Pencil
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