- The world is getting better, the less coercion (in the form of force and deception) happens and more persuasion happens. However, a fully networked world (with powerless hierarchies) is too vulnerable for power-grabs so hierarchies have an important complementary role to play in ensuring good conditions for networks to emerge and strengthen.
- I would argue that both force and deception are forms of violence. Lower returns on violence lead to more sovereignty. Technological developments that had a big impact on the returns of violence:
- Knights → rifles
- Mass media → Internet
- The Bitcoin maximalists argue that Bitcoin is another one
- Fiat → Bitcoin
- Social technologies—like governance structures or laws—can reduce the usefullness of force and deception for obtaining respect/money.
- Quote from Dune
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The convoluted wording of legalisms grew up around the necessity to hide from ourselves the violence we intend toward each other. Between depriving a man of one hour from his life and depriving him of his life there exists only a difference of degree. Elaborate euphemisms may conceal your intent to kill, but behind any use of power over another the ultimate assumption remains: “I feed on your energy.”
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