On the Fallacy of Diminishing Returns

Nominated for quote of the week, which I encountered while reading Matt Ridley’s The Rational Optimist:

Thomas Jefferson (), American Founding Father and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776)
in a letter to Isaac McPherson

 

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Chris Aldrich

I'm a biomedical and electrical engineer with interests in information theory, complexity, evolution, genetics, signal processing, IndieWeb, theoretical mathematics, and big history. I'm also a talent manager-producer-publisher in the entertainment industry with expertise in representation, distribution, finance, production, content delivery, and new media.

3 thoughts on “On the Fallacy of Diminishing Returns”

  1. Nominated for quote of the week, which I encountered while reading Matt Ridley’s The Rational Optimist:

    He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.

    Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743—July 4, 1826), American Founding Father and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776)
    in a letter to Isaac McPherson
     

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  2. @mrkrndvs Somehow I new you’d have a whole post about it! I just couldn’t find it (maybe due to the late hour…). Thanks for lighting my candle.
    Incidentally the quote on that card may be better attributed to Thomas Jefferson: http://boffosocko.com/2011/06/27/on-the-fallacy-of-diminishing-returns/ though some may have a reasonable argument that it’s far older: https://fakebuddhaquotes.com/thousands-of-candles-can-be-lighted-from-a-single-candle-and-the-life-of-the-single-candle-will-not-be-shortened-happiness-never-decreases-by-being-shared/

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  3. I love the sentiment you share here including down to finding a warmer and more inviting plug!
    Your situation and the connection you have to education reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from Thomas Jefferson (pardon the overly masculine pronouns from the unenlightened enlightement):

    He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.

    I’m certainly far from even moderately well read on power, but I do recall a short but impactful post a month back by Cat Swentel entitled An Extended Subtweet on Power. (For context, it related to the unfortunate change in Basecamp’s corporate stance which saw a third or more of its employees to leave.) In particular she spoke about Mary Parker Follett‘s three types of power: power-over, power-with, and power-to. Perhaps you might find something interesting in Follett’s work or the others mentioned in the piece? I’ve bookmarked them myself for the summer break.

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