Smart Crowds / Wise Crowds

They all show how smart crowds can be.Crowds? The great unwashed? Aren't crowds responsible for the stock market bubble, boorish behavior at baseball games and the rise of Britney Spears?Well, yes. And no, says author James Surowiecki.In his new book, "The Wisdom of Crowds" (Doubleday), Surowiecki -- who writes "The Financial Page" for The New Yorker -- shows how the combined intelligence and input of a group of people can create optimum conclusions, whether in a financial marketplace or a county fair.

CNN.com - The crowd is smarter than you think - Jul 14, 2004