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Power Laws, Weblogs, and Inequality

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the network-effects dept.

scubacuda writes "Clay Shirky has written an excellent article entitled "Power Laws, Weblogs, and Inequality." Simply put, diversity plus freedom of choice creates inequality: "A new social system starts, and seems delightfully free of the elitism and cliquishness of the existing systems. Then, as the new system grows, problems of scale set in. Not everyone can participate in every conversation. Not everyone gets to be heard. Some core group seems more connected than the rest of us, and so on." A must read for anyone interested in the statistics, fairness, and power relations of blogging."

10 of 309 comments (clear)

  1. A Comment if I may... by ackthpt · · Score: 4, Funny
    A must read for anyone interested in the statistics, fairness, and power relations of blogging."

    I can't see how that could ever happen here.

    <Simpson's Comic Store Guy Voice>
    I trump you with my mighty karma, "Worst post, ever!"
    </Simpson's Comic Store Guy Voice>

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  2. Re:He just described... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    If someone could develop a working statistical theory of trolls, I'd be very interested, being a troll myself.

  3. Wow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
    A must read for anyone interested in the statistics, fairness, and power relations of blogging.
    Which is what, like 11 people?
    1. Re:Wow by micromoog · · Score: 4, Funny
      Which is what, like 11 people?

      Yes, and especially the 4 of them that lord their blog-power over the other 7.

  4. Summary: by asparagus · · Score: 2, Funny

    The popular people remain popular (if they keep doing what makes them popular) and the unpopular people remain unpopular (unless they stop doing what makes them unpopular).

    Yay!

  5. Thieves by scott1853 · · Score: 1, Funny


    Just remember, you're stealing if you don't read all the comments.

  6. Re:Did I miss something? by lobsterGun · · Score: 5, Funny

    The ugly truth of the matter is that Life really IS fair. We just don't like the rules.

  7. "Anonymous Coward" says what? by Tired_Blood · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm sure almost everyone has been the victim of unfair moderation (I know I have)

    Take the good with the bad. I mean, as "Anonymous Coward" you've been modded up quite a bit so far in this thread.

    :>

    --
    This is not my sig.
  8. Re:The right to free speech by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Masturbating in public is a right. Being watched is a privilege.

  9. Re:Excuse me? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    U R a dumass!