Systemantics. The Systems Bible

No, students of Systemantics, Positive Feedback into a large System is a dangerous thing. Remember, even though a System may function very poorly, it can still tend to Expand to Fill the Known Universe, and Positive Feedback only encourages that tendency.

Corollary #2: TO THOSE WITHIN A SYSTEM, THE OUTSIDE REALITY TENDS TO PALE AND DISAPPEAR

In accord with these observations, and mindful of our intended future development of this topic, we further expand the B.I. T. to read as follows: IN A CLOSED SYSTEM, INFORMATION TENDS TO DECREASE AND HALLUCINATION TENDS TO INCREASE

Naturally (see Primal Scenario) most of the things we human beings desire are non-systems things. We want a fresh apple picked right off the tree. But this is precisely what a large System can never supply. The System has other goals and other people in mind.

the Basic Axiom of Systems-function, the one from which all the others are ultimately derived: BIG SYSTEMS EITHER WORK ON THEIR OWN OR THEY DON’T. IF THEY DON’T, YOU CAN’T MAKE THEM

We do not deny that occasionally the parts of the nonfunctioning System may be so disposed that a good swift kick will cause them to fall into place, so that the System can resume functioning. Ordinarily, however, such a maneuver merely produces one last spasmodic effort, after which the System subsides into total immobility.

Having thoroughly digested this introduction, we should have notrouble understanding that: IF A SYSTEM CAN BE EXPLOITED, IT WILL BE Nor will we cavil at its twin: ANY SYSTEM CAN BE EXPLOITED

When Charles Babbage, early in the Nineteenth Century, attempted to build the world’s first large calculating machine, he made the parts of wood and promptly discovered the importance of Internal Friction. Briefly, his machine wouldn’t go—and he couldn’t Push It hard enough to Make It Go without breaking it (see Pushing On The System, Chapter 11).

There is a man in our neighborhood who is building a boat in his back yard. He knows very little of boat-building and still less of sailing or navigation. He works from plans drawn up by himself. Nevertheless, he is demonstrably building a boat and can be called, in some real sense, a boat-builder. Now if you go down to Hampton Roads or any other g