Bandwidth Quote by William Poundstone
“The more improbable the message, the less "compressible" it is, and the more bandwidth it requires. This is Shannon's point: the essence is its improbability.”
About This Quote
Rare, complex messages need more bandwidth; rarity makes them less compressible.
In simple terms: Uncommon messages require more data.
Key Takeaway
Expect higher cost for unique information.
Themes
information theory
communication
complexity
Mood
analytical
thoughtful
Type
technical
educational
When to use this quote
- network design
- media strategy
- educational content
Key Concepts
Shannon entropy
data compression
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you measure message rarity?
- When is compression more valuable?
A Different Perspective
Over‑emphasis on rarity may ignore efficiency.
![“In the evolution of the [The Hunger Games] movie, Gary [Ross] and I talked a lot about tonal bandwidth and making sure that the look and feel and style and choices of the movie stayed within a certain consistent bandwidth.” quote by Nina Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/410/nina-jacobson-8759_bandwidth_in-the-evolution-of-the-the-hunger-games_549159.jpg)
![“When you read a book [The Hunger Games], you create that tonal bandwidth. You set a tone for yourself, as you're reading it, in which everything exists within the world of your imagination. In the book, it's great when she can push a button and food comes up, as per your order.” quote by Nina Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/91a/nina-jacobson-8759_bandwidth_when-you-read-a-book-the-hunger-games-yo_1333492.jpg)