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There was a guy that decided to make a toaster from scratch [0]. Literally from scratch: as in, mining and refining ore, etc. It was a bit of a stunt [1], but i

There was a guy that decided to make a toaster from scratch [0]. Literally from scratch: as in, mining and refining ore, etc. It was a bit of a stunt [1], but it definitely highlighted the advantage of scale and industry we typically take for granted. [0] - http://www.thetoasterproject.org/page2.htm http://www.thetoasterproject.org/page2.htm [1] - https://gizmodo.com/one-mans-nearly-impossible-quest-to-make-a-toaster-from-5794368 https://gizmodo.com/one-mans-nearly-impossible-quest-to-make...

samstave 8y ago
I love both of these comments. I ised to talk to friends about “deep thinking” of what it took to make the sinple object in front of them, which they took for granted. My favorite example was a pen. Youre so abstracted from what it takes to actually make a simple pen. Imagine it was post-apocolypse, and youre the only person left on earth - and in addition to all other humans who have dissapeared, all pens/pencils have also dissapeared. You must build a pen - a ball point pen, to chronicle humanity. Where do you start? The simplest of objects have such a complex origin story.
- heavenlyblue 8y ago
  Haven't China only a few years ago managed to produce an actual ballpoint pen? [1] [1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/01/18/finally-china-manufactures-a-ballpoint-pen-all-by-itself/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.84b0d9ea531b https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/01/18...
  - riku_iki 8y ago
    Its probably not because they couldn't 'manage', it is likely because it was not economically interesting, they could import tips cheap enough and don't bother manufacturing their own.
vishnugupta 8y ago
Thanks for the links! I've bookmarked those, I'll show it to those who say 'from first principles', to check if that's what they mean :-)
yissp 8y ago
I get the point he's trying to make, but really, if I'm alone in the woods and wanted to toast some bread, I'm pretty sure I could just hold it over a fire for a few minutes.
- tazard 8y ago
  From the toaster projects author's website [1] > So, firstly, yes, I realise toasting bread over a fire would’ve been a lot easier. But was a piece of toast (or designing a better toaster) really the point of this project? [1] http://www.thomasthwaites.com/the-toaster-project/ http://www.thomasthwaites.com/the-toaster-project/

samstave 8y ago

I love both of these comments. I ised to talk to friends about “deep thinking” of what it took to make the sinple object in front of them, which they took for granted. My favorite example was a pen. Youre so abstracted from what it takes to actually make a simple pen. Imagine it was post-apocolypse, and youre the only person left on earth - and in addition to all other humans who have dissapeared, all pens/pencils have also dissapeared. You must build a pen - a ball point pen, to chronicle humanity. Where do you start? The simplest of objects have such a complex origin story.

heavenlyblue 8y ago
Haven't China only a few years ago managed to produce an actual ballpoint pen? [1] [1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/01/18/finally-china-manufactures-a-ballpoint-pen-all-by-itself/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.84b0d9ea531b https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/01/18...
- riku_iki 8y ago
  Its probably not because they couldn't 'manage', it is likely because it was not economically interesting, they could import tips cheap enough and don't bother manufacturing their own.

vishnugupta 8y ago

Thanks for the links! I've bookmarked those, I'll show it to those who say 'from first principles', to check if that's what they mean :-)

yissp 8y ago

I get the point he's trying to make, but really, if I'm alone in the woods and wanted to toast some bread, I'm pretty sure I could just hold it over a fire for a few minutes.

tazard 8y ago
From the toaster projects author's website [1] > So, firstly, yes, I realise toasting bread over a fire would’ve been a lot easier. But was a piece of toast (or designing a better toaster) really the point of this project? [1] http://www.thomasthwaites.com/the-toaster-project/ http://www.thomasthwaites.com/the-toaster-project/