When meerkats rule the world

Each animal species has a specific population size threshold—known as the Allee threshold. When the population size exceeds the Allee threshold, the species tends to increase in numbers and thrive. Conversely, when it falls below the threshold, it tends to decline inexorably until it goes extinct. This effect is particularly evident in highly social species like meerkats.

I wouldn’t dare drawing parallels between meerkat mobs and capitalistic societies, but it’s the fascinating premise of a book I’m reading.

If such a thing as the Allee threshold exists for products and ideas too, it means that you don’t need to push yours to the top of the bell curve all by yourself. Carry it just beyond the Allee threshold, and momentum should take care of the rest. Furthermore, by picking a small enough ecosystem, you’re guaranteed to have the threshold within reach. Then you could just work your way up like this, taking over increasingly larger ecosystems until you own the entire world.

Unless meerkats get there first, of course.