The endangered bell curve
“With great power comes great responsibility”. For many, this oft-quoted maxim paints a picture of judicious use of physical, financial, or social muscle. I would include “information” on that list as well.
Humankind’s ever-increasing access to all types of information is surely a good thing. But with information arguably holding the spot as the ultimate form of power and more of it becoming available every day we run the risk of abusing our responsibility with that information even if we may not be aware such a thing is happening. We naturally zero in on topics and viewpoints with which we agree and are most comfortable, unaware or unconcerned that with each successive piece of tightly-focused information we digest we further doom one of our most venerable societal stabilizers: the Bell Curve.
Like a psychological centerboard for our collective consciousness, the Bell Curve, and more precisely the middle eighty percent or so, provides the stability we need as a society when dealing with issues big or small. It’s damping effect helps keep us as a group from venturing too far or lingering too long in the ten-percent ranges at either end.
The Bell Curve’s strength lies in its broad spread of overlapping commonalities. However, with our present ability to drill down to an increasingly minute level of information, we run the risk of setting up camp on a host of parochial data points that can flatten that middle ground. As the robustness of the curve wanes, so does society’s ability to maintain a flexible but ultimately stable course.
The good news is that with access to such a vast store of global information we have the ability to not only preserve the curve but strengthen it with our potential depth and breadth of knowledge on whatever topic(s) we hold dear.
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Kay Fox
Kansas City
3 months, 1 week agoDid the German’s use the Bell Curve after Hitler came to power? Romans, Till of the Hon?
Flexible? You want flexible morals and values? You want flexible what? Years ago people frowned on living together, now the Bell Curve would say it’s acceptable, but is it good for the family and those doing it? No, as people who have lived together prior to marriage have a higher divorce rate.
Flexible isn’t always a good thing, nor is the Bell Curve when it is applied to everything…which knowledge would fall under if I’m not mistaken. You took it a step too far perhaps.