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Energy economics and rocket science with Casey Handmer
Complex Systems with Patrick McKenzie (patio11)
Progress Reflects in Production Efficiency
The evolution of mass production illustrates a dramatic decline in production costs over time, driven by advancements in manufacturing technology and increased learning rates. Historical examples, like the exponential cost reduction of ships, planes, tanks during World War II, and Henry Ford's automobile production, show significant drops from $12,000 to about $200 over 20 years. Similarly, the labor required for crafting bronze objects, such as swords, has decreased from 20-100 days to mere hours in modern times. Textiles mirror this trend, with traditional garments requiring up to 3000 hours of labor now available at prices lower than fast food meals. Furthermore, despite criticisms of modern garment durability, the reality of past manufacturing practices also included necessary repairs, challenging the idealization of historical production methods.
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