Inventor and Futurist - Ray Kurzweil – a Risktory Podcast favorite – speaks of the Law of Accelerating Returns. Which is the idea that, in a non-technology driven world, change was largely linear. Left to Right. Top to Bottom. Consecutive.

According to the Law of Accelerating Returns, in a technology driven world – such as the one we now live in – change is both concurrent and exponential. Every advance feeds on the previous advance, not only hastening the rate of change, but also shortening the lifespan of an advance before it’s superseded.

It’s not always easy to find real life examples of the Law of Accelerating Returns, outside of the medical world, which is the environment within which Kurzweil formulated the Law. But Vine – the short-form social media platform – whose original format lasted just three years - is a perfect example of the Law in action. Of VINE coming into existence because of exponential change, and churning out, for the same reason.

On this week’s Whatever Happened To episode, I look at the rise – and fall – of Vine. And I explore why – in a world of rapid change and where our abilities to entreat with the unknown will be challenged - why we all need to understand, and prepare to adapt for, the Law of Accelerating Returns.

The Risktory Podcast is created, written, hosted and produced by Jacinthe A Galpin.

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Bibliography
https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/vine-app-timeline
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vine_(service)
https://www.kurzweilai.net/the-law-of-accelerating-returns