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0 pointsOJFord2y ago0 comments

Disposable razor? What's that doing there?

Unless it's too comment on 'throwaway mentality', modern consumerism, etc., the book meaning 'made the modern economy' more literally/broadly than you're referencing it for here?

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jlnho2y ago

Makes operations way more sanitary. Many people used to die post operation due to infections.

regularfry2y ago

So the assumption would be that it's not the razor, but the immediately adjacent ability to make disposable scalpel blades that mattered?

OJFordOP2y ago

Oh so we're talking disposable razor blades, not disposable vs (reusable) safety/'cut-throat' razors for shaving?

drewmate2y ago

As referenced by GP - it's a list of inventions from the podcast '50 Things That Made the Modern Economy.' [0]

The first series is my favorite podcast of all time. They're short (~8 minutes, iirc) but pack a lot of interesting info in each episode. In particular, they explore some of the second-order effects of each invention.

The disposable razor might not be a true 'black swan' like the transistor or LK-99, but some of the background and influence around the invention might surprise you! I recommend checking it out. [1]

[0] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/50_Things_That_Made_the_Modern... [1] - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p04t8k2l

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