Somehow, I managed to get through four months without reading this excellent essay by Clay Shirkey on Power Laws, Weblogs, and Inequality. Truly excellent stuff. First-rate thinking and analysis. Those of you who run weblogs, are thinking about starting a weblog, or just read weblogs, ought to give it a look, because the analysis applies to more than just one subject.
I've had many of the same thoughts as were in this article, but the analysis is especially good, and the mathematical modeling gives it sharp focus. The predictions for the future are very interesting too. A little sad, in some ways, but probably inevitable.
I picked this up from Jeff Licquia, who has still more links on the same subject. Including info about controversies surrounding this topic that I was blissfully unaware of. I honestly don't much care about the controversy because I'm too busy enjoying myself blogging, but you may find his thoughts and links worth a read.
Dean, once again, you mannage to find interesting things on the web. I think I’ll be talking about this one when I go for taping tomorrow...
I think it sheds some irony on the comment I made when I sent out that first E-mail. You know, the comment about how Prof. Reynolds gets to go on CNN. Given this, _of course_ he does...
Fascinating, but MB believes the phrase 'counter-intutitive' should really be something more like 'first glance counter-intuitive', as the 'bell-curve' is not the only game in town, as it were. The 'power-curve' set is very common but just not considered first, most often very quickly as the second thought.
Anyone can be a #1 blogger if you define your niche in such a way that YOU ARE #1.
Think of Jefferson and Washington. Jefferson was clearly the most brilliant of the founding fathers, but it was Washington that was "first in war, first in peace, first in the hearts of his countrymen."
That said, if your primary reason for blogging ISN'T for personal fulfillment, then you won't be doing it for long.
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Bravo! Bravo! Shirkey demostrates that the stratified tax system in the United States is not only necessary but morally and ethically sound. Since 80% of the wealth winds up in 20% of the hands, might as well stratify it more...at least the 80% of us will feel less inclined to revolt in the future. Plus, we can buy more consumer goods....
Tim
Interesting perspective.
Unless you believe that it's perfectly fair that some people have more than others, and that efforts to make it more "fair" will only make everyone poorer.
Which is what I've come to believe.