Uncoordinated design.
PFH wrote of Nature and Melbourne: "It would be possible to design something better."
Terrific post. On the whole I agree, but it occurs to me that regarding the line I've quoted above, it really depends on what you consider to be "better". Simplification of forms and systems might be appealing, but when applied to nature, reducing complexity ultimately reduces the universe to nothing. Or uniformity. Not sure which, but it does not sound like a whole lot of fun.
I believe that optimal system efficiency is when the simplest effective robust form is established that is unstable enough to adapt whilst still being stable enough to persist. Personally, I'm liking the "intricately beautiful and complex state of self-balance" thing that nature has going on. Looking outside the influence of humanity, uncoordinated efforts - unconscious efforts by unthinking organisms - have resulted in ecosystems that survive indefinitely. Perhaps that is as simple as it is possible to be without de-evolving? Perhaps it is not the lack of coordinated effort on the part of humanity that is causing so much chaos, but the explosive rapidity with which we change the way we interact with our environment? Evolution evolves... but that is another post.
Coordinating the efforts of humans on a scale as large as a city would necessitate monitoring and auditing effort and ambition. Some coordiating entity would have to have oversight in order to develop plans, the means to raise revenue to implement said plans and power to enforce the population's compliance with said plans. Said entity would have to be far, far more powerful than the existing (and again divided and uncoordinated) governing bodies that already administer the city. A democratic system would not be a viable option. Individual freedoms would go out the window. Continuous monitoring of the systems and inhabitants of the city would be essential to verify efficiency and make adjustments (to the populace or the systems, whichever is more efficient).
Ironic that the solution to this civilisation that is indeed so unsatisfactory as to make it appear that "some power hungry cartel of shadowy capitalist overlords" is running it to their own evil ends, is to establish a "vast conspiracy" of similar, if (originally at least) nobly concieved, function.
Terrific post. On the whole I agree, but it occurs to me that regarding the line I've quoted above, it really depends on what you consider to be "better". Simplification of forms and systems might be appealing, but when applied to nature, reducing complexity ultimately reduces the universe to nothing. Or uniformity. Not sure which, but it does not sound like a whole lot of fun.
I believe that optimal system efficiency is when the simplest effective robust form is established that is unstable enough to adapt whilst still being stable enough to persist. Personally, I'm liking the "intricately beautiful and complex state of self-balance" thing that nature has going on. Looking outside the influence of humanity, uncoordinated efforts - unconscious efforts by unthinking organisms - have resulted in ecosystems that survive indefinitely. Perhaps that is as simple as it is possible to be without de-evolving? Perhaps it is not the lack of coordinated effort on the part of humanity that is causing so much chaos, but the explosive rapidity with which we change the way we interact with our environment? Evolution evolves... but that is another post.
Coordinating the efforts of humans on a scale as large as a city would necessitate monitoring and auditing effort and ambition. Some coordiating entity would have to have oversight in order to develop plans, the means to raise revenue to implement said plans and power to enforce the population's compliance with said plans. Said entity would have to be far, far more powerful than the existing (and again divided and uncoordinated) governing bodies that already administer the city. A democratic system would not be a viable option. Individual freedoms would go out the window. Continuous monitoring of the systems and inhabitants of the city would be essential to verify efficiency and make adjustments (to the populace or the systems, whichever is more efficient).
Ironic that the solution to this civilisation that is indeed so unsatisfactory as to make it appear that "some power hungry cartel of shadowy capitalist overlords" is running it to their own evil ends, is to establish a "vast conspiracy" of similar, if (originally at least) nobly concieved, function.
posted by Jac | 10:40 pm
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