A Face in the Crowd

The so-called "network effect" says that the value of a network varies exponentially with the number of members (and hence the number of connections). But what drives the network effect? Although the value of the network incents new members to join, I posit that peer pressure drives network membership. If all your friends use IM and you're still leaving voicemails, you'll be left out of the crowd.



We see this same phenomenon drive the popularity of movies, books, etc. It isn't the intrinsic value of the information embodied in a network, but rather the access to its members that attracts new members.



I've never read the Harry Potter books and I've only seen the trailer for the film (why do they call it a trailer if it preceeds the movie?). I'm struck by the scene in which they show the vastness of the school hall. Instead of being a lone freak on the Group W bench, Harry is part of a huge brotherhood of wizards. We witness the same power in our daily lives, be it in church or the subway. If everyone else is doing it, it must be worthwhile.



I see this phenomena weekly in the Suzuki violin program. My daughters, 4 and 6 (those are their names), both play violin. The comraderie with the other youngsters in the program and the awe that the older students inspire keep my kids motivated. When they go to class, camp, or a concert, there are dozens and sometimes hundreds of kids just like them. At a holiday concert last night, there was a group of a half-dozen teenage boys. They could have easily been drag racing or drinking, but they have found fellowship in the violin. They still swagger and showboat, but their competition and motivation are uplifting.



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