Terence Tao: The role of small organizations in society has shrunk significantly (mathstodon.xyz)

Article summary

The article discusses the role of small organizations in society, with the author suggesting that their influence has decreased significantly. The comments reveal that the article touches on the idea that big organizations have grown more dominant, while small organizations have become less relevant. The discussion also explores the concept of community and social organization. The article's author is a mathematician, but the topic is more related to social and economic organization.

Main themes

• Role of small organizations
• Influence of big organizations
• Social organization
• Community building
• Economic trends
• Academic expertise

What commenters say

• The rise of platforms like Amazon and YouTube has actually enabled small businesses and creators to reach a wider audience, contradicting the idea that small organizations have lost influence.
• The dominance of big organizations has increased, and they have more control over the market and the fate of small creators.
• The distinction between 'tiny' and 'small' organizations is important, as tiny companies may still be heavily reliant on big corporations for services and infrastructure.
• The article's author, as a mathematician, may not have the necessary expertise to make authoritative claims about social and economic organization, and should have cited relevant scholarship.
• The discussion around the article is more focused on social organization and community building, rather than purely economic trends.
• Some commenters argue that the article's ideas are not supported by empirical evidence and that readers should consult academic research on the topic for more insight.
• Others believe that the article's author is simply sharing their personal thoughts and opinions, and that these can still be valuable and thought-provoking even if not rigorously supported by data.
• The conversation highlights the tension between the value of expert opinion and the importance of considering multiple perspectives, including those from non-experts.