Barabasi’s 80/20 rule:

Four fifths/80% of something results in 20% of something else…. 80% of Italy’s land is owned by 20% of the population, 80% of profits are garnered by 20% of employees…..

Major take away ideas

1. From little things, big things grow

Kathy McGowan, Independent candidate for Indi has been using this as her mantra, an explanation of how a grass roots campaign against Sophie Mirabella, who has long held the seat, could possibly cause a huge upset… We’ll know by this afternoon who wins but it looks like McGowan will oust Mirabella.

2. Figures do not always reflect what seems logical

It would seem more logical if 80% effort translated to a more equal effect, ie. 80% of profit garnered by only 20% of workforce doesn’t seem to add up. It would be a more perfect world if a large proportion of something was represented somehow in an effect. This is why The Age ran with the headline ‘Afghanistan Cabinet has more women’ this morning. Though half the population is female, only 1 member of cabinet holds this title. How could this possibly mean the democratic value of ‘one vote one value’ was possibly upheld in this idiotic representation? Figures of course do not always reflect what seems the most logical reality, thus the 80/20 rule rings particularly true when we get unfavourable results like these.