--- title: Is This the Greatest Shortcoming of the Human Race? description: The final myth tested in Alan Mauldin’s SubOptic 2023 presentation is based upon a quote. image: https://resources.telegeography.com/hubfs/2023/Blog%20Assets/AdobeStock_224776360-1.jpeg --- [![TG\_LOGO](https://resources.telegeography.com/hubfs/TeleGeography%20Hub%20Theme%20Nov%202025/images/TG_LOGO.svg)](https://www2.telegeography.com/) - [About](https://www2.telegeography.com/about-us) - [Research](https://www2.telegeography.com/our-research) - [Products](https://www2.telegeography.com/products) - [Solutions](https://www2.telegeography.com/solutions) - [Resources](https://resources.telegeography.com) [Log In](https://www.telegeography.com/login/login?service=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.telegeography.com%2Faccount%2Fhome%2Findex) [Contact](https://www2.telegeography.com/contact-us) ###### Data and Analysis Tools - [Cloud and WAN Research Service](https://www2.telegeography.com/cloud-and-wan-infrastructure) - [Data Center Research Service](https://www2.telegeography.com/data-center-research-service) - [GlobalComms Database](https://www2.telegeography.com/globalcomms-database-service) - [International Voice Report](https://www2.telegeography.com/telegeography-report-and-database) - [IP Networks Research Service](https://www2.telegeography.com/ip-networks-research-service) - [ISP Navigator](https://www2.telegeography.com/isp-navigatorisp-navigator) - [Transport Networks Research Service](https://www2.telegeography.com/transport-networks) - [Network Pricing Database](https://www2.telegeography.com/telegeography-pricing-database) - [WAN Cost Benchmark](https://www2.telegeography.com/wan-cost-benchmark) - [Product Passes](https://www2.telegeography.com/product-passes) ###### Consulting - [All Consulting Services](https://www2.telegeography.com/consulting) - [Submarine Cable Consulting](https://www2.telegeography.com/submarine-cable-consulting) ###### Maps - [All Map Services](https://www2.telegeography.com/map-services) - [Sponsor a Map](https://www2.telegeography.com/sponsor-a-map) - [License Map Data](https://www2.telegeography.com/license-geocoded-map-data) - [Cite a Map](https://www2.telegeography.com/cite-telegeography-map) - [Buy a Map](https://shop.telegeography.com/collections/telecom-maps/) ###### Industry - [Education](https://www2.telegeography.com/telegeography-for-education) - [Enterprise](https://www2.telegeography.com/enterprise) - [Tech](https://www2.telegeography.com/tech) - [Telecom](https://www2.telegeography.com/telecom) ###### Case Studies - [AI + Retail Telecom Data](https://www2.telegeography.com/where-to-get-global-telecom-data) - [EXA Infrastructure](https://www2.telegeography.com/exa-infrastructure-case-study) - [Orange Wholesale](https://www2.telegeography.com/orange-wholesale-case-study) - [The European Commission](https://www2.telegeography.com/the-european-commissions-data-backed-approach-to-international-policy) [Back to Resources](https://resources.telegeography.com) # Is This the Greatest Shortcoming of the Human Race? ##### By [Alan Mauldin,](https://resources.telegeography.com/author/alan-mauldin) May 18, 2023 [Networks](https://resources.telegeography.com/tag/networks) [Events](https://resources.telegeography.com/tag/events) At [SubOptic 2023](https://www2.telegeography.com/suboptic-2023), my colleague Tim Stronge and I brought back the *Telecom Mythbusters* to test a new series of myths. I already covered my first two myths from our presentation: the [cable lifespan myth](https://resources.telegeography.com/2023-mythbusting-part-2) and the [99% myth](https://resources.telegeography.com/2023-mythbusting-part-3). My third and final myth—the exponential growth myth—is based upon a quote that I found: “The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function.” –Albert Allen Bartlett ## The Source of This Myth Al Bartlett, a professor at the University of Colorado, is known for delivering an [hour-long lecture](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBtW51D_q2Q) called “Arithmetic, Population, and Energy: Sustainability 101” a whopping 1,792 times. The focus of this lecture was on exponential growth and its impact on population growth and energy consumption. ## What Is Exponential Growth? As you’ll see in the slide below, exponential growth occurs when a quantity increases over time in proportion to its current value. It’s often viewed in terms of percentage growth or as doubling time. ![SubOptic Myth 4-1](https://resources.telegeography.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2023/Blog%20Assets/Charts/SubOptic%20Myth%204-1.png?width=775&height=471&name=SubOptic%20Myth%204-1.png) The chart plots exponential growth as the aqua-colored line and linear growth as the dark blue line. In the linear growth sequence, the y-values increase by an increment of three each period. In the exponential growth sequence, the y-values are multiplied by three over each period. You can see a much higher growth rate happening with exponential growth. ## Why Is Exponential Growth Hard To Understand? Dr. Bartlett talked about how hard it is to grasp exponential growth in his lecture, using an example with bacteria. ![SubOptic Myth 4-2](https://resources.telegeography.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2023/Blog%20Assets/Charts/SubOptic%20Myth%204-2.png?width=775&height=472&name=SubOptic%20Myth%204-2.png) Dr. Bartlett’s example—illustrated above—provided the following assumptions. There is a jar with bacteria in it, doubling every minute. At 11:00 a.m. the jar has one bacterium, and 12:00 p.m. the jar is full. Dr. Bartlett would then ask the audience two simple questions: 1. When is the jar half full? 2. How full is the jar at 11:55 a.m.? The first answer is pretty obvious. We know that the jar is doubling every minute, so it must be 50% full at 11:59 a.m The second part—how full the jar is at 11:55 a.m.—was Dr. Bartlett’s main question for the audience. And the answer is 3%. Shocking, right? Five minutes until the jar is totally full, it’s only at 3%. For more like this, [download our latest mythbusters presentation slides](https://www2.telegeography.com/suboptic-2023?__hstc=45788219.c776bc4c9c506cce1c24574a3bf64ea8.1747829745172.1747829745172.1747829745172.1&__hssc=45788219.1.1747829745172&__hsfp=4009502119). ## Explore Related Content ![Mythbusters: Revenge of the Cable Myths, Part II](https://resources.telegeography.com/hubfs/2016/where-is-tg/Screen_Shot_2016-06-22_at_2.51.41_PM.png) ###### Blog Jul 7, 2016 #### [Mythbusters: Revenge of the Cable Myths, Part II](https://resources.telegeography.com/mythbusters-revenge-of-the-cable-myths-part-ii) In the first part of TeleGeography’s Mythbusters presentation at SubOptic 2016, Tim Stronge busted myths... [View More by Thomas Simpson](https://resources.telegeography.com/author/thomas-simpson) [Read Full Article](https://resources.telegeography.com/mythbusters-revenge-of-the-cable-myths-part-ii) ![Mythbusters: Revenge of the Cable Myths, Part I](https://resources.telegeography.com/hubfs/2016/where-is-tg/alan-tim-dubai.jpg) ###### Blog Jun 30, 2016 #### [Mythbusters: Revenge of the Cable Myths, Part I](https://resources.telegeography.com/mythbusters-revenge-of-the-cable-myths-part-i) TeleGeography’s Tim Stronge and Alan Mauldin returned to the triennial SubOptic conference this year to... [View More by Thomas Simpson](https://resources.telegeography.com/author/thomas-simpson) [Read Full Article](https://resources.telegeography.com/mythbusters-revenge-of-the-cable-myths-part-i) ![Mythbusters: Revenge of the Cable Myths, Part III](https://resources.telegeography.com/hubfs/2016/where-is-tg/Screen_Shot_2016-06-30_at_1.37.38_PM.png) ###### Blog Jul 14, 2016 #### [Mythbusters: Revenge of the Cable Myths, Part III](https://resources.telegeography.com/mythbusters-revenge-of-the-cable-myths-part-iii) In Part II of TeleGeography's Mythbusters presentation at SubOptic 2016, Alan Mauldin busted five myths... [View More by Thomas Simpson](https://resources.telegeography.com/author/thomas-simpson) [Read Full Article](https://resources.telegeography.com/mythbusters-revenge-of-the-cable-myths-part-iii) [![TG\_LOGO\_color\_horizontal\_SIMPLIFIED 1](https://resources.telegeography.com/hubfs/TeleGeography%20Hub%20Theme%20Nov%202025/images/TG_LOGO_color_horizontal_SIMPLIFIED%201.svg)](https://www2.telegeography.com/) [Login](https://www.telegeography.com/login/login?service=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.telegeography.com%2Faccount%2Fhome%2Findex) [Contact Us](https://www2.telegeography.com/contact-us) ###### [About](https://www2.telegeography.com/about-us) - [Research](https://www2.telegeography.com/our-research) - [Products](https://www2.telegeography.com/products) - [Solutions](https://www2.telegeography.com/solutions) - [Demo](https://www2.telegeography.com/demo) ###### [Press](https://www2.telegeography.com/telegeography-press) - [Events](https://www2.telegeography.com/telecom-events) - [Careers](https://www2.telegeography.com/careers) ###### [Resources](https://resources.telegeography.com/) - [Podcast](https://www2.telegeography.com/telegeography-explains-the-internet-podcast) - [Newsletter](https://www2.telegeography.com/subscribe-to-telegeography-emails) - - All Rights Reserved 2026 - [Privacy Policy](https://www2.telegeography.com/privacy-policy) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Alan Mauldin", "url" : "https://resources.telegeography.com/author/alan-mauldin" }, "dateModified" : "2026-02-02T13:19:41.580Z", "datePublished" : "2023-05-18T11:52:00.000Z", "headline" : "Is This the Greatest Shortcoming of the Human Race?", "image" : [ "https://resources.telegeography.com/hubfs/2023/Blog%20Assets/AdobeStock_224776360-1.jpeg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://resources.telegeography.com/2023-mythbusting-part-4", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://resources.telegeography.com/hubfs/assets/telegeography/telegeography-logo-blog.png" }, "name" : "TeleGeography" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org/", "@type" : "WebSite", "image" : "https://www2.telegeography.com/hubfs/Website/assets/logo/telegeography-logo.svg", "name" : "Is This the Greatest Shortcoming of the Human Race?", "potentialAction" : { "@type" : "SearchAction", "query-input" : "required name=search_term_string", "target" : "{search_term_string}" }, "url" : "https://resources.telegeography.com/2023-mythbusting-part-4" } ```