DISORDER / ORDER

Why is this important? That entropy measures randomness through disorder.

But first, how does it measure disorder.

If there is only 1 parking space, there is only 1 possible space where a car could be parked at. (Not much disorder)

If there are 2 parking spaces, and there's no other parking space, then there is 6 possible variations of the parking spaces being used. Disorder has increased and therefore the entropy has increased.

Entropy does this at an atomic level but this is one illustration.

But it really exists everywhere and has a much broader application.

One example of what happens when entropy increases unchecked occurred in the Kowloon Walled City. For a substantial length of time, Kowloon was abandoned by the government after the British took control of Hong Kong. At one point, an estimated 33,000 residents were crammed into 300 buildings over 6.4 acres, making Kowloon the most densely populated place on earth. With no space for new construction, stories were added to the existing buildings. Because of minimal water supplies and a lack of ventilation (no sunlight or fresh air reached lower levels), the health of residents suffered. A community of unlicensed medical professionals flourished, alongside brothels and gambling dens.

With no one controlling the city, organized crime gangs took over. It became a haven for lawlessness. Though police were too scared to make any attempts to restore order, residents did make desperate attempts to reduce the entropy themselves. Groups formed to improve the quality of life, creating charities, places for religious practices, nurseries, and businesses to provide income.

In 1987, the Hong Kong government acknowledged the state of Kowloon. The government demolished and rebuilt the city, evicting residents and destroying all but a couple of historic buildings. Although reasonable compensation was provided for ex-residents, many were somewhat unhappy with the rebuilding project.

Looking at pictures and hearing stories from Kowloon, we have to wonder if all cities would be that way without consistent control. Was Kowloon an isolated instance of a few bad apples giving an otherwise peaceful place a terrible reputation? Or is chaos our natural state?

Singapore, where I grow up, is a highly controlled city. There are fines for what a lot would consider bizarre. Selling gum, littering, spitting in public and even walking nude in your own home. It has had just 3 heads of states since the inception of the country and 2 of them were father and son. The ruling party has been the ruling party since the country gained her independence. It is highly controlled, the government has done everything in its power to lower the chances of disorder and lower the entropy.

What this has done, in my opinion, is make an artificial state where problems and cracks are hidden under a layer of order. It is what it is, order is artificial and disorder/chaos is in our being.