2021-11-14

Re: How many people is too many?

=> #nosimpleanswer

Dunbar's Number

JBanana writes:

Why do we feel this way about outsiders? I remember hearing that humans developed to cope with relating to up to 150 people [citation needed].

=> gemini://freeshell.de/gemlog/2021-11-14.gmi | local copy

This number is called Dunbar's Number.

=> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunbar%27s_number

There are more of these numbers. A long time ago I watched a presentation about funny dynamics in work environments. One person project, no need for a lot of things. Two on a project? Easy, if they at least talk to each other regularly. Three is possibly difficult when it comes to reaching agreements. Four. Five. Now they need a person to handle outside communication. Seven, the group may fall into two parts. Somewhere around 20 the group needs to be divided with two team leads. And it goes on.

JBanana refers to a post by marginalia: A brief hypothesis about "normies"

=> gemini://marginalia.nu/log/39-normie-hypothesis.gmi | local copy

It looks at the dynamics involved when a group has to cope with a large influx of newcomers.

In my humble opinion this all goes back to this particular bit, described very well by Fred Brooks in "The Mythical Man Month":

Communication does not scale!

Beeblebroxians

I find it interesting to note that this somewhat uneasy topic comes up again. We had this sort of discussion before. See Alexis' post "Geminispace vs. Beeblebroxians"

=> gemini://republic.circumlunar.space/users/flexibeast/gemlog/2020-12-30.gmi | local copy

They collected the known replies a few days later:

=> gemini://republic.circumlunar.space/users/flexibeast/gemlog/2021-01-06.gmi | local copy

So I quote myself shamelessly

Do we over time build smaller somewhat walled gardens within geminispace, where groups of like minded hang out, similar to the mastodon fediverse? As long as anyone can find a likeable garden, why not? Many others will likely stay away due to its particular mix of subjects, jokes, weirdness, improbability, or even writing style. As long as there is choice, it is much better than one size does not fit it all.

=> /en/2021/20210103-re-beeblebroxians.gmi

I guess, the behaviour to select a smaller subgroup of apparently likeminded ones to hang out with, is deeply engrained in homo sapiens. I just hope that everyone is treating everyone else with due respect.

Cheers,

~ew

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