Capitalism brings the firm with the best competitive advantages to the top of the fray; Evolution allows those animals within a species who are stronger to survive over weaker animals and pass on those traits to their offspring.

Algorithms, both of them: pushing those with a competitive advantage to the top, coldly, rationally, consistently over time. Repeating, over and over.

How can something that is so simple have such meaning?

Well, if you think about it, it starts to make a lot of sense. Think of all our technology powered by algorithms: computers, search engines, hell, even the repetition of an engine in a car could be considered an algorithm of sorts. We’ve just begun investigating the scope of their power, especially when it comes to things like machine learning and artificial intelligence.

Look closer, into nature. The shaping of sand by waves hitting it over and over again: algorithm. Snow falling, melting into rivers, running to the ocean, evaporating into clouds, which move over land and return the snow to the mountain: algorithm.

Parts of our culture are built around algorithmic change and improvement, if you zoom out from the trees for the forest. Think about our artists: create, market, publish, perform, improve, repeat. Our education system: grade after grade, choosing to specialize only after years of separating out the brightest via both public & private education, SAT scores and the entire college application industrial complex.

And it works. We have built the richest, most powerful, most progressive society in history on the back of these systems.

Beautiful, isn’t it?