 Last time on Common Sense Soapbox, Bob to the future! Roberto, you've inspired me! I'm going to become an entrepreneur and start my own company too! But I think I'm going to need some capital first. That's great! I know some places that are hiring. Hiring? Like, for a job? Now we find Bob in the Taco Mines, where Taco Meat is created and excavated for consumption. Thanks for introducing me to Mr. Blukaflorp and landing me this gig! Of course! You're perfect for this job! Isn't it amazing that just producing one little thing like Taco Meat creates so many opportunities? Yeah! Why is that anyway? Well, because the more complicated and varied our economy gets, the more everybody starts to specialize. Everybody contributes their own unique skills to make great stuff like this! Division of labor is a beautiful thing. Can't argue with that! In fact, one might even go so far as to say it's the foundation of civilization. That's a bit dramatic. Maybe. But without specialization, we couldn't have one. It seems kinda arbitrary though. It's anything but arbitrary. See those robots over there? Each one is designed for a specific task, and because it can fulfill it better than the others, that's what it focuses on. But people aren't robots, Charlie! Of course not! That's why we let people choose what they want to do. That's right! Everybody has some skills and interests that nobody else has, and over time we all develop advantages for some kinds of jobs over others. Okay, but what if you aren't skilled at the things that you actually want to do? Should you have to do a job you don't like? Why can't everyone just do what they want instead? That sounds nice, Bob. But think about what that would really mean. Do you want to hire someone who doesn't know what they're doing just because they want the job? Would you buy tacos from a terrible cook? Well, no. We want to make sure everyone has as many opportunities as possible, and that they're totally free to make their own choices. But in a market economy, it's the customers who decide whether or not their work is actually good enough to pay for. So, people are more or less incentivized to take jobs based on how well that job allows them to serve others? Exactly! We should all be trying to do what we're best at and let other people do the things they're best at, but this goes beyond individual people. What do you mean? Entire nations, even whole planets, have their place in the division of labor. For example, we live in the taco capital of the world because of the giant taco mines taco industry scientists created here. Whoa, I didn't know that! It wouldn't make sense for a country that's great at growing lettuce and jalapenos but terrible at creating meat to try to do everything themselves. So I guess they should focus on making great produce and buy their meat from us! That's right, Bob. That way everyone can have the best of both ingredients. That sounds much more complicated than you're letting on. It is. This kind of complex trade requires a high degree of social cooperation. Today, billions of people participate in the market together, contributing their uniquely specialized skills. When that breaks down, everyone loses. Yes! The work day is over! Charlie, thanks for uh, staking around and lecturing me on economics all day. Very normal behavior. No problem. Time to start my own business! How will Bob fare while attempting to start his own business? Find out on the next exciting episode of Common Sense Soapbox. Bob to the future!