Swarm Theory Enters Mainstream

I was alerted by fellow swarm theorist Simon Garnier to an introduction to swarm theory in the latest issue of National Geographic Magazine. This is just the latest in the popularization of swarm theory: previous instances being Gladwell’s The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference (2000) and Surowiecki’s The Wisdom of Crowds: Why the Many Are Smarter Than the Few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economies, Societies and Nations (2004). I suspect that it won’t be long before some soundbite banality referring to swarm theory will begin emanating from all manner of vulgarian – politicians and socio-cultural pundits. This will be yet another illustration of the epidemiology of ideas in action.