Pinhead Efficiency

After the individualism of the Renaissance, people in the 18th century begin to realize that they needed each other to make things work more efficiently. Adam Smith, often called the father of economics, observed people working in a pin factory, and came to the conclusion that if each person specialized in one part of the process, a lot more pins were made in a much smaller amount of time. Sure, one person could measure the wire, cut the wire, sharpen the wire, make the pinhead, and fasten the pinhead to the wire, pin by pin by pin all by themselves, but they took extra time moving between tasks and picking up and putting things down, and were therefore wasting their time.

This notion of assembly line efficiency took off in the 18th century, contributing to the industrial revolution and sparking off a horde of human "machines" that quickly and efficiently processed clothing, furniture, food, and, of course, pins.

And they all lived happily ever after, right?

So it would seem, since they were getting more results for their effort, but is efficiency always the best way? These industrial factories of people were acting like, were often treated like, and were eventually, in centuries to come, replaced by, machines. In banding together to be more efficient, they essentially lost much of their individual humanity.

Does that mean people must choose between being independent, inefficient individuals and being dependent machines? I certainly hope not! I would argue that banding with others to be more efficient should enable people to have more time for individuality, not less, if time is taken to spend on themselves, and not just used as more fuel for the fires of work to be done.

Sure, depend on others, specialize in making your pinheads and letting others contribute the pins for maximum efficiency. But don't be a pinhead yourself and forget to take some well-earned time off to metaphorically smell the roses. Individualists miss the help of others, and industrialists lose sight of themselves, but if a balance can be found between the two, then more roses in the world can be appreciated.