Revive Small Communities in a Big-Org World

Tao argues that modern systems and technologies have greatly empowered large organizations while weakening small, community-scale groups. This imbalance leaves individuals alienated and reliant on impersonal, algorithmically mediated substitutes for real community. He calls for renewed emphasis on grassroots organizations to provide purpose, belonging, and a bridge to larger systems, with careful attention to the tradeoffs of scaling.

Key Points

Society functions at four scales—individuals, small groups, large organizations, and complex systems—each with distinct dynamics.
Small groups uniquely provide social connection, belonging, and member agency, and are more reformable or escapable when dysfunctional.
Large organizations deliver superior economies of scale and systemic impact but are impersonal and hard for ordinary people to influence or correct.
Modern incentives and technologies mildly empower individuals but dramatically empower large organizations, hollowing out the role of small groups and producing alienation; algorithms and AI exacerbate this.
We should strengthen grassroots/small organizations for purpose and belonging and as connectors to larger systems, while being mindful of tradeoffs when they scale or get absorbed.

Sentiment

The overall sentiment of the Hacker News discussion is largely in agreement with Terence Tao's core premise regarding the decline of small organizations and its negative social consequences, finding the article thought-provoking and resonating with personal observations. However, this agreement is accompanied by significant debate, nuance, and a search for root causes and solutions, rather than simple consensus. Many commenters express concern about current trends, while others offer counter-arguments about the necessity of large organizations for progress or question the effectiveness of proposed interventions.

In Agreement

The article's premise that the role of small organizations has significantly shrunk, leading to alienation, disconnection, and a loss of community, resonates with many commenters' observations and personal experiences.
Historical precedents show that the US federal government once actively broke up large private organizations (e.g., Bell System, banks, monopolies) to maintain competition and local power, a practice that has diminished.
The social problems of disenfranchisement and feeling powerless are inherent properties of large organizational scale, regardless of whether the organization is private, public, or non-profit, as individual influence decreases.
Factors such as the rise of two-income households, increased individual mobility/nomadism, and political polarization have contributed to the decline of volunteerism and local community engagement.
Large corporations can exhibit inefficiencies, out-of-touch leadership, and a focus on short-term shareholder value that mirrors problems seen in 20th-century planned economies, contributing to societal problems.
The financialization of various aspects of life (housing, healthcare, education) and rent-seeking behavior by large entities contribute to the erosion of small organizations and community vitality.
The 'death of volunteering and civic life' aligns with previous research, such as 'Bowling Alone,' suggesting a long-standing trend not solely attributable to recent events like COVID-19.

Opposed

Large organizations are often necessary to fund and execute complex, long-term, and high-risk research and development projects (e.g., advanced LLMs, semiconductor manufacturing, self-driving cars) that require massive capital and resources beyond the scope of small entities.
The state itself is a large organization, and advocating for government intervention to curb private power might simply shift power concentration or result in the state becoming captured by corporate interests through lobbying and regulatory capture.
Globalization makes domestic anti-monopoly efforts less effective, as breaking up national champions could simply leave the market vulnerable to larger, unregulated foreign competitors.
The rise of online platforms (e.g., Amazon, YouTube, Slack, Subreddits) has paradoxically enabled numerous 'tiny businesses' and niche communities, suggesting that small organizations, in a new form, still have significant impact and reach.
Some argue that a 'democratic' consumer vote, where individuals choose what to buy (e.g., organic food), can be a more responsive and effective mechanism for societal change than political voting.
Historical evidence from the 20th century suggests that societies with more private control over resources generally achieved better economic outcomes (e.g., GDP growth) than those with more state control.
Skepticism exists regarding a mathematician's authority on social science topics without cited sources, despite Tao's intelligence, suggesting the need for more academic grounding for such broad claims.