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Economics

Pointers from a Pencil

The cause of our problems.

JD Breen's avatar
JD Breen
Mar 29, 2026
∙ Paid

Atlanta, GA

March 28, 2026

Nobody knows how to make a pencil. But many probably think they could.

Just wrap wood around some lead, add a rubber eraser, a touch of metal, and a coat of lacquer…and voila!…you’re ready to take a standardized test or tackle The New York Times crossword puzzle.

But building a pencil is impossible for any one person to do. Even (…

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