Scaling, growth, and life.

Scale book

Currently reading a book called SCALE. Amazing book. It links the economy, cities, society, metabolism, life, and death through scaling and logarithmic properties.

Been inspired to study more Fractals (self similarity) in art and life by Benoit Mandelbrot.

Some takeaways:

1. As a biological being, we must die. It’s coded in our DNA and metabolism. At best we can live to be 120 years old.
2. Cities don’t die, but evolve like living beings. This is why Beirut has been burned to the ground so many times, but has risen like the Phoenix. Nassim Taleb’s concept of “ANTIFRAGILE.”
3. There are biological limits to growth. For example, it is impossible for a land animal to ever be as big as Godzilla, because of metabolic and physical constraints.
4. We shouldn’t always think about pushing limits and pursuing endless growth for the sake of growth. Eventually, we will run out of resources or energy. Unless, as the author says… we can innovate and create technology that allows us to grow more (consider the unlimited growth of knowledge, internet, and IT technology)
5. Memento Mori: Author writing book at age 75. I have to remember I won’t live forever. Therefore, focus on writing great books to empower humanity after I’m dead.

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Other ideas:

1. With the internet, your blog, website, or message can scale infinitely. In theory, 7 billion people can read and access your website.
2. Open systems promote growth and scale: Walled gardens like Facebook and Instagram (for the most part) trap people, ideas, and information. Google, while stealing our personal information, promotes the open internet. So for me, I’ll side with Google, NOT Facebook/Instagram.
3. “If you’re not busy growing, you’re busy dying.” – Bob Dylan. This is true. Metabolism works by constantly building our bodies with natural resources and food. Indeed, if we don’t keep growing, we will die.
4. Creativity: Never stop growing, learning, consuming inspiration, and learning. Read: Why you must keep growing as an artist and photographer.
5. Make more art.

Here are some screenshots from the book so far: