Exponential Growth Debate

Commenters debate whether observed growth patterns are truly exponential, linear, or part of an S-curve, questioning assumptions of unbounded exponential growth and extrapolation risks.

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Keywords

XKCD XCKD R0 xkcd.com i.e COVID VS wikipedia.org stratechi.com exponential exponential growth growth curve linear graph yr decay incidentally rates

Sample Comments

transpy • Jun 4, 2014 • View on HN

But... but... the exponential growth!

tosseraccount • Sep 21, 2015 • View on HN

Doesn't all growth have an exponent?

gbog • Feb 11, 2013 • View on HN

you seem to take exponential growth from granted, I'm not sure why. this seem to be the exception, not the rule.

high_na_euv • Jan 27, 2025 • View on HN

Why do you assume that exponential growth curve is real?

VikingCoder • Mar 26, 2020 • View on HN

It's weird, it's almost like this is following the exponential growth that literally everyone said it would.

WithinReason • Feb 7, 2022 • View on HN

There is no such thing as truly unbounded exponential growth, it's always an S curve

firethief • Sep 14, 2019 • View on HN

Exponential growth is like that

tasuki • Jan 13, 2021 • View on HN

Why exponentially? Seems like linear growth to me.

LarryMullins • Jan 5, 2023 • View on HN

All apparent exponential growth is just an S-curve we haven't found the inflection point of yet.

empath75 • Mar 11, 2020 • View on HN

They're talking about exponential growth in general, i think.