The mandala vs machine framework reminded me of the transition between the renaissance and enlightenment. This time around, I suspect AI will serve as a mediating force that blurs the binary between mandala and machines, creating a three way interaction between:
- Strong protocols (formal systems/machines)
- Weak protocols (human social norms/mandala)
- Strange protocols (emergent AI behaviours)
I suspect navigating this future isn't about choosing between care and knowledge, but about developing human acumen.
I Read this and your prior post a couple of times. I can see a couple things. Pretty much all the og norcal communes were big man operations, the placemaking was easy, buy a big old house(s) or some cheap land. The tricky part was the meaning making but a gullible crowd, with only tv for tech made that easier back in the day, all you needed was some flash and a modest amount of charisma.
I see the advantage of the low bar setting, allowing the community to coalesce and structure itself without first having to plant a flag somewhere, not to say esmerelda, etc aren’t doing some flag planting but it seems it wasn’t the first step or priority. I can see the value in exploring how tech and crypto can help even though i don’t understand much about how.
I haven’t thought it through but am wondering if there are many examples of communally living people that don’t run on a strong man model? So many people require a man behind the curtain to feel alright.
Im personally most interested in seeing how folks decide to live as in sleep when they’re not nomadic. Unless human nature has changed it seems as folks age they want more ‘permanence’, security, etc from the actual place they want to mainly stay. I can see a network of somehow affiliated living places, perhaps like esmerelda, offering a deluxe hostel type arrangement for upscale nomads but that leaves out essential classes of people like families who aren’t about international living, elders looking to stay put, service providers, etc To me it’s the most challenging part of the communal topic.
Our cul de sac has about a dozen houses clustered together averaging 3000’ and 1/3 acre. All were designed for family living. 90% of them are occupied by empty nest couples like us. Everyone on tge outside blames prop 13 property tax protections but the thing I see is there’s no attractive alternative. We have no particular fondness for having 50% more space than we need and aren’t trying to chisel young families from their spots to save some taxes. The flashy developments with some communal grounds with $3-4 mil price tags are way more larp than commune from what i can see. Plus they’re designed for larger families anyway.
Thanks venkatesh, i always learn when i read your work. I appreciate following your work.
Porous boundaries, engineered arguments. If Mandalas have a theoritcal maximum size (Thailand, Texas), how does that drape onto a country the size of USA or China? (Maybe it fits better in Europe?). Contrasting Europe vs USA again, European countries have cultural languages and traditions as a base substrate. The US states, have not so much of a Mandala substrate but much more of a mechanists structure without strong statewide cultures.
Thanks for sharing this framework. Looking forward to seeing you flesh it out.
The mandala vs machine framework reminded me of the transition between the renaissance and enlightenment. This time around, I suspect AI will serve as a mediating force that blurs the binary between mandala and machines, creating a three way interaction between:
- Strong protocols (formal systems/machines)
- Weak protocols (human social norms/mandala)
- Strange protocols (emergent AI behaviours)
I suspect navigating this future isn't about choosing between care and knowledge, but about developing human acumen.
I Read this and your prior post a couple of times. I can see a couple things. Pretty much all the og norcal communes were big man operations, the placemaking was easy, buy a big old house(s) or some cheap land. The tricky part was the meaning making but a gullible crowd, with only tv for tech made that easier back in the day, all you needed was some flash and a modest amount of charisma.
I see the advantage of the low bar setting, allowing the community to coalesce and structure itself without first having to plant a flag somewhere, not to say esmerelda, etc aren’t doing some flag planting but it seems it wasn’t the first step or priority. I can see the value in exploring how tech and crypto can help even though i don’t understand much about how.
I haven’t thought it through but am wondering if there are many examples of communally living people that don’t run on a strong man model? So many people require a man behind the curtain to feel alright.
Im personally most interested in seeing how folks decide to live as in sleep when they’re not nomadic. Unless human nature has changed it seems as folks age they want more ‘permanence’, security, etc from the actual place they want to mainly stay. I can see a network of somehow affiliated living places, perhaps like esmerelda, offering a deluxe hostel type arrangement for upscale nomads but that leaves out essential classes of people like families who aren’t about international living, elders looking to stay put, service providers, etc To me it’s the most challenging part of the communal topic.
Our cul de sac has about a dozen houses clustered together averaging 3000’ and 1/3 acre. All were designed for family living. 90% of them are occupied by empty nest couples like us. Everyone on tge outside blames prop 13 property tax protections but the thing I see is there’s no attractive alternative. We have no particular fondness for having 50% more space than we need and aren’t trying to chisel young families from their spots to save some taxes. The flashy developments with some communal grounds with $3-4 mil price tags are way more larp than commune from what i can see. Plus they’re designed for larger families anyway.
Thanks venkatesh, i always learn when i read your work. I appreciate following your work.
Porous boundaries, engineered arguments. If Mandalas have a theoritcal maximum size (Thailand, Texas), how does that drape onto a country the size of USA or China? (Maybe it fits better in Europe?). Contrasting Europe vs USA again, European countries have cultural languages and traditions as a base substrate. The US states, have not so much of a Mandala substrate but much more of a mechanists structure without strong statewide cultures.
Thanks for sharing this framework. Looking forward to seeing you flesh it out.
Bottom of the email version of this I got still refers to the newsletter as Breaking Smart.
“This post is only for paying subscribers of Breaking Smart, but occasional forwarding is fine!”
fixed, thanks!