Shipping Is the Easy Part, You Know?

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It's just cheaper to do things in different parts of the world than to build a factory or whatever. The shipping is the easy part. It shows that there is a lot of flexibility and elasticity in these markets. But it does seem very fragile, in a way. I mean, like if you were trying to design the most rub goldberan and the most vulnerable to to a like trade wars, actual wars, global pandemics its miracle we have run out of everything by now.

As the holidays approach, we are being reminded of the fragility of the global supply chain. But at the same time, the supply chain itself is a truly impressive and fascinating structure, made as it is from multiple components that must work together in synchrony. From building an item in a factory and shipping it worldwide to transporting it locally, processing it in a distribution center, and finally delivering it to an address, the system is simultaneously awe-inspiring and deeply dehumanizing. I talk with Christopher Mims about how things are made, how they get to us, and what it all means for the present and future of our work and our lives.

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Christopher Mims received a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and behavioral biology from Emory University. He is currently a technology columnist at The Wall Street Journal. He has previously written for publications such as Wired, Scientific American, The Atlantic, and Smithsonian. His new book is Arriving Today: From Factory to Front Door — Why Everything Has Changed About How and What We Buy.

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