I, Pencil
In November 2012, the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) released I, Pencil: The Movie, an animated short film adapted from the 1958 essay by Leonard E. Read, founder of the Foundation for Economic Education. CEI’s I, Pencil film and extended commentary series, featuring Larry Reed, Deirdre McCloskey, Art Carden, and Walter Williams is available online here.
Awards | Resources | Media | Reviews
The Story of I, Pencil
Do you know how to make a pencil? You don’t, do you? As Read explained in his classic essay, no single person on earth does. The pencil, like most modern wonders, is the end product of an intricate chain of human activity that spans the globe. There is no mastermind dictating the making of a pencil; not even the CEO of a pencil company could tell you exactly how to make one. It takes little bits of know-how of thousands of individuals—loggers in California, factory workers in China, miners in Sri Lanka, and everyone in between—to bring an ordinary wooden pencil into being. By trading their skills and labor for wages, these individuals each bring the pencil a step closer into being.
This is the miracle of the free market. People who are strangers to each other—who might even hate each other if they ever met—are cooperating every day to produce goods that others want, need, and enjoy. Markets compel men and women to voluntarily arrange themselves into efficient patterns of production through the pursuit of their individual interests. Without this constant spontaneous cooperation, the modern wonders of our world would not exist.
CEI’s Production of the I, Pencil Film
CEI adapted I, Pencil to translate Leonard Read’s story into an exciting and accessible film for the Internet age. Under the direction of libertarian filmmaker Nicholas Tucker, the project has successfully realized—and even exceeded—CEI’s original vision. At six minutes long and expertly animated, I, Pencil is a colorful, easy-to-share reimagining of Read’s timeless narrative.
CEI Founder Fred L. Smith, Jr. said:
“Throughout my career, I’ve sought new and better means of communicating classical liberal ideas to people of all political persuasions. Leonard Read’s original essay continues to be one of the most poignant free-market narratives I’ve ever come across. I’m proud of CEI’s film adaptation of Read’s work, and I’m very hopeful it will successfully bring classical liberal ideas to new and diverse audiences.”
- Gold Award, Internet Only Animated Program: TIVA-DC Peer Awards, November 8, 2014
- First place, Short films: 6th Annual Manning Networking Conference, February-March 2014
- First Prize: Reason Foundation Media Awards first annual Video Prize, October 10, 2013
- Best Short Documentary: Anthem Film Festival in Las Vegas, FreedomFest, July 2013
- Audience Choice: Anthem Film Festival in Las Vegas, FreedomFest, July 2013
Associate Professor of Economics at Samford University, Art Carden created a one-day I, Pencil course curriculum for middle school, high school, and college classrooms, which is now being taught at all levels across the U.S. and abroad.
To supplement these educational materials, CEI produced a series of Extended Commentary videos on the fundamental themes of I, Pencil. Thematically organized by topic, the interviews cover Spontaneous Order, Connectivity, Trade & Specialization, Creative Destruction, and The Importance of I, Pencil featuring University of Illinois Professor Deirdre McCloskey, George Mason University Professor Walter E. Williams, Samford University Assistant Professor Art Carden, and Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) President Lawrence W. Reed.
- Human Events – Setting the record straight on liberty
- The New American – Movie Review: The Pencil Has Spoken!
- Hot Air – Video: I, Pencil the Movie
- Human Events – I, Pencil: A lesson in the wonders of the interconnected world
- Masahable – The No. 2 Pencil Live You’ve Never Seen it Before
- Coordination Problem – I Pencil, the Movie
- Timberlines – I, Pencil, The Movie
- RossPutin.com – I, Pencil
- Pencils for Africa – Interview with Amanda France, Co-Producer of the “I, Pencil” movie
- Adam Smith Institute – I, Pencil: The Movie
- Knowledge Problem – I, Pencil: The Movie
- Above Top Secret – I, Pencil: The Movie
- The Beacon– I, Pencil: The Movie
- The Daily Signal – “I, Pencil: The Movie”
- Powerline – “I, Pencil,” The Movie
- Voice for Liberty in Wichita – I, Pencil: The Movie
- Independent Women’s Forum – “I, Pencil” Essay Becomes a Film
- Foundation for Economic Education – The Enduring Lesson of “I, Pencil”
- Café Hayek – I, Pencil
- Amy Ridenour’s National Center Blog – Free Markets, Restricted Markets
Special Thanks
CEI owes great thanks to all those involved in the I, Pencil project. In particular, CEI is grateful to FEE for its help and support. Leonard Read founded FEE in 1946; now, today’s president Lawrence Reed gives his endorsement to CEI’s film:
“For more than half a century, Leonard Read’s classic story has opened eyes and changed minds by the hundreds of thousands. It humbles even the high and mighty as it reveals the wondrous achievements of individuals whose contributions are coordinated by nothing more than incentives and market prices. This film guarantees that the insights of Read’s humble pencil will continue to work their magic for many years to come!”
Please watch I, Pencil and share it with friends! You can also find it on YouTube.