We set up Herbert Simon's famous 1955 rich-gets-richer model and describe how it leads to a power-law size distribution of things (cities, words, etc.; you will fill in the details). Simon's model is a toy model that captures how the elements of a growing system might become so strongly variable. We give a history of thinking dating back to the early 1900s and trace out an evolution of catchphrases and framings. Very surprisingly, we add a new result that the first elephant is an elephant in the room.

2016/09/15

1:15:24