On the complexity of city links

The city is built on weak links; it is these moments of human contact that act like electricity for the city. As a result, the city as a whole becomes more powerful than the sum of its parts and this strange phenomenon – which complexity theorists call emergence – means that the complex city offers a unique dynamism. It is also the energy behind the Ballet of Hudson Street and is the raw material from which are developed trust and community despite the strains of urban life.

Hollis, Leo. Cities Are Good for You: The Genius of the Metropolis (pp. 26-27). Bloomsbury Publishing. Kindle Edition.