Log-normal is the new normal
Notes on the log-normal distribution in society and nature
Log-normal is the new normal
Many (most? almost all?) results (as ranked by some metric) are produced through a sequence of events whose effects multiply together. The log-normal distribution is the real “normal” distribution.
This is my new obsession, which started with my analysis of Patreon earnings.
Who Reaps All the Superchats? A Large-Scale Analysis of Income Inequality in Virtual YouTuber Livestreaming
arxiv.org
Another paper that may show log-normal distribution of earnings by “creators”.
The critical task, therefore, is not generating more (that’s going to keep happening), but designing the systems - the new algorithmic gatekeepers - that can rescue the meaningful from the deluge. The future of culture will be shaped not by the sophistication of our generators, but by the values embedded in our filters.
From Barking Hellhounds to AI Slop: What Electronic Music Foretells About Generative AI
Consistent with the theory that increased cultural production widens the gap between the top performers and the bottom, heightening the effect of a log-normal (or power law, if you will) distribution.
Good overview of creator economy dynamics marred by uncritical acceptance of power-law distributions that are probably log-normal.
The log-normal distribution strikes again, the time for times to task completion.
The only Permanent Underclass are the ones who believe it is permanent
swyx.io
More on the theme of widening inequality in a post-AI world.