Since I’ve come back to Canada, I find myself continually (even subconsciously) comparing it with the US. I’ve noticed that while Canada is roughly 1/10th the size of the States, it feels like it’s way less complicated (and sophisticated). This also worries me, as I wonder how we’ll continue to compete in a more networked,… Continue reading A Different Way Of Comparing Canada & America
Tag: Complexity
Cascading to Failure
So, unless you live under a rock, you heard that yesterday, at 2:45 pm, the stock market dropped like a rock: We don’t know why this yet happened, but there are two likely culprits – and neither should make you happy. The first hypothesis is that this mini-crash was caused by ‘fat fingers’ – an… Continue reading Cascading to Failure
Great Meals and Path Dependence
Wen and I are fortunate to have great friends. A few of them (randomly) ended up giving us gift certificates to Gramercy Tavern when we got married and we finally made it the other night. As we were basking in the glow of a ridiculously good meal, Wendy mentioned “how did we get here?” I… Continue reading Great Meals and Path Dependence
Simple is the New Complex
This weekend I walked into a gallery on 21st street and saw this sculpture: This photo captures the components of the system, but not the dynamics of it. Basically, you’re looking at two fans facing each other and connected by four pieces of fishing line. Around the fishing line are wrapped two circular streamers of… Continue reading Simple is the New Complex
How We Got Here
Two recent articles I read have me thinking about path dependence. For those who don’t know, path dependence basically means that we (either individuals or institutions) are the sum of historical experiences – history matters. A corollary is that small events can build up over time to have large historical impacts (read the Wikipedia entry… Continue reading How We Got Here