13 Comments
User's avatar
Rob Gentles's avatar

All so great! However, a complaint about #4, although it's brilliant, isn't this supposed to be about meaningless graphs?

Expand full comment
Charlos R.'s avatar

#4 was my favorite I guess because it makes sense. Some of the others I’m just completely confused which I think is the point. Then again I’m bad at reading graphs that make sense

Expand full comment
ChesterView's avatar

Absolutely on point. That graph is spot on in my experience.

Expand full comment
Billy The Kid's avatar

it's the "United States" qualifier that absolutely makes that donut chart.

Expand full comment
NYKIndependent's avatar

I needed a good laugh, and this provided it

Expand full comment
M. Gage's avatar

I'd like to see the raw data on the duck flying Sounth. With these trying times, how do you know that higher lower fewer more ducks arent flying Nonrth?

Expand full comment
craazyman's avatar

The y axis shows rate of change, which is change divided by time. The X axis is shown in units of time. This is confusing, to have time as both a divisor and a unit of measurement on the same graph.

If we multiply both the y- and x-axis values by time, we can re-express Change as a function of time-squared for both human adaptability and technology., where Change = Mt^2. M evidently is a constant that may differ for each.

This is very close to Einstein's E=Mc^2. I don't know if Mr. Friedman realizes the profundity of this, but he may have accidently linked equations that govern physical reality with equations that govern the evolution of group mind in the form of culture and technological innovation.

If you keep looking at something long enough, you can eventually see it no matter where it is.

Expand full comment
Tom Worster's avatar

Ah, Matt, I'm so pleased to see these again. I very well remember the contribution of @leafbeetle as the funniest, just perfect. And that of @bosco_hoggins as bitingly satirical. The position of TED Talks and Malcolm Gladwell on that curve nicely expresses the zeitgeist.

Expand full comment
Rich Smith's avatar

I remember this contest, and laughing really hard at the winners. One of my favorites was a graph where the curve was a drawing of Friedman’s mustache.

Expand full comment
citygal's avatar

SOOOO FUNNY!

Expand full comment
Piers's avatar

I know this isn't the most important point but the change (solution?) in Friendmans second human adaptability graph doesn't really cut it anyways. It would solve the problem at that very moment but it wouldn't change the underlying dynamic (according to his well defined graph) that technological change is moving faster than human adaptability.

Expand full comment
Brian's avatar

To find out the solution, you'll need to get his next book.

Expand full comment
JD Free's avatar

Honestly, they got a lot more fun starting with "Self Regard"

Expand full comment