Invisible Economics reveals the hidden systems behind ordinary life.
A supermarket shelf. An airline seat. A parking space. A subscription. A price that feels wrong. Each episode begins with something familiar and follows the incentives, trade-offs, and business models operating underneath it.
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Companies, industries, prices, products, and global trade — explained without jargon, hype, or easy villains.
The systems behind everyday life, made visible.
✧ Written and researched by a human. Narration produced with AI voice synthesis.
A small red star hangs beside a restaurant door. The same name appears on the tires of a car parked outside. One company makes rubber and decides which kitchens are worth traveling across the world to visit.
The next time you see a Michelin star on a restaurant door, you'll notice that it is also a reason to make a journey.
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IN THIS EPISODE
— How a free road guide encouraged more driving and more tire sales
— Why charging for the guide and removing advertisements helped turn Michelin into a trusted authority
— How restaurant stars became powerful drivers of tourism, and who pays to bring Michelin to new cities
THE NUMBER
35,000 free guides — Michelin's first print run in France, 1900. Source: MICHELIN Guide, 2020.
SOURCES
MICHELIN Guide — Le guide MICHELIN, une longue histoire (2020)
La Tribune — Guide Michelin : Sébastien Bras récupère deux étoiles, contre son gré (2019)
Boston Magazine — Here Are the Boston-Area Restaurants in the 2025 Michelin Guide (2025)
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Narration in this episode is AI-assisted.
Research, writing and editorial judgment are human.
Invisible Economics — The Systems Behind Everyday Life
13 Oct 2026
The Woman Who Made Van Gogh Famous
A blue mug sits on a kitchen counter, decorated with the swirling stars of Vincent van Gogh's most famous painting. The artist supposedly sold only one painting during his lifetime. The truth is more complicated — and the story of what happened after his death is even more remarkable.
The next time you see The Starry Night on an everyday object, you'll notice the invisible decisions that helped turn a nearly unsold artist into a global icon.
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IN THIS EPISODE
— Why the famous story of Van Gogh's single lifetime sale is misleading
— How Jo van Gogh-Bonger built his reputation through exhibitions, selective sales, and published letters
— How the myth of the misunderstood genius became part of the market for his art
THE NUMBER
At least 192 paintings sold by Jo van Gogh-Bonger between 1891 and 1925 — Van Gogh Museum, 2019.
SOURCES
Van Gogh Museum — Everything for Vincent: The Life of Jo van Gogh-Bonger (2019)
Vincent van Gogh: The Letters — Publication History (2009)
Jo Bonger Diaries — Introduction
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Narration in this episode is AI-assisted.
Research, writing and editorial judgment are human.
Invisible Economics — The Systems Behind Everyday Life
10 Oct 2026
The Gillette Myth: Who Really Invented the Cheap Razor?
A razor with two cartridges can cost less than a pack of four replacement cartridges. The handle is built to last for years. The blades are designed to be thrown away.
The next time you buy replacement blades, you'll notice the cheap razor beside them — and question who really invented that pricing strategy.
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IN THIS EPISODE
— Why Gillette charged premium prices for razors when its patents gave it the power to sell them cheaply
— How forgotten competitors pioneered the inexpensive razor strategy
— How a business model became one of the most widely repeated myths in economic history
THE NUMBER
$5 — the price of a Gillette razor set with twelve blades in 1904, roughly one-third of an American industrial worker's weekly wage.
SOURCES
Randal C. Picker — The Razors-and-Blades Myth(s), University of Chicago Law Review, 2011
Russell B. Adams — King C. Gillette: The Man and His Wonderful Shaving Device, 1978
TIME — Business: Bogus Blades, September 12, 1927
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Narration in this episode is AI-assisted.
Research, writing and editorial judgment are human.
Invisible Economics — The Systems Behind Everyday Life
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