Social Networks by Nicholas Christakis
Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 10:38PM In this brilliant TED talk, Nicholas Christakis uses data visualization to reveal a super-organism created by human social networks. He expertly lays clear something many of us inherently knew but could not articulate.
We form social networks because the benefits of a connected life outweigh the costs.
… The spread of good and valuable things is required to sustain and nourish social networks. Similarly, social networks are required for the spread of good and valuable things - like love, and kindness, and happiness, and altruism, and ideas.
… If we realized how valuable social networks are, we’d spend a lot more time nourishing them and sustaining them.
Because social networks are fundamentally related to goodness, and what the world needs now is more connections.
I think it’s really a wonderful one to think on. The collective good of our social network - the people we love and care for - rises as we invest ourselves in caring for our social network. Yes, I’m for more of that.
