Paradox of Abundance

The named idea at the core of News in the Age of Abundance: as information becomes abundant, the average degrades while the best improves. Abundance lowers the floor (more noise, more obsessive consumption, more Negativity Bias) even as it raises the ceiling for the disciplined few who curate well.

Context: The “paradox of abundance” is a framing David Perell has popularized — when something becomes freely available, average quality falls while the best becomes better, putting the burden on the individual to choose well.

Where this appears

• News in the Age of Abundance — the essay’s central concept: abundance degrades the average and rewards discipline.