Where Did the Long Tail Go?

“According to its proponents, the Long Tail would revitalize our culture by expanding the scope of the arts and giving a boost to visionaries on the fringes of society.”

the Long Tail concept refers to businesses that focus on products and services with almost no customers. The basic idea is that you can make a lot of money selling to these microsco... See more

But let’s put money aside for moment. We should nurture Long Tail endeavors because: * They create a more pluralistic, diverse, and multifaceted society * They remind us that not all riches are measured in monetary terms * They serve as a counterweight to group-think and narrow-mindedness * Genuine breakthroughs often start on the fringes before en... See more

Those deliverables might not add up to a big fat bank account. But they create a healthy culture. So the Long Tail does have a role for us—but it should be built on our wisdom and generosity, not our business plans.

I’m not saying that all those ‘underground fringes’ that Anderson celebrated have disappeared—I’m merely claiming that they have less cultural impact than at almost any point in modern history.

Trends feed on their own energy, with desire for popular products spreading like a virus. So the individual components of the top 20% might change, but whatever made the cut and entered that elite group would always attract 80% of demand.