Abundant Systems

Yet, one of the superpowers of connected technologies - networks - is that they will remove scarcity if at all possible. Connected networks by definition make things abundant that were once scarce.

Andy Weissman • On art and business and context and mirrors

This isn’t actually true by default. Networks of scarce systems end up creating winner take all situations from abundance.

H]uman beings need all the relatives they can get–as possible donors or receivers not necessarily of love, but of common decency.

. . .

When we were children in Indianapolis, Indiana, it appeared that we would always have an extended family of genuine relatives there. Our parents and grandparents, after all, had grown up there with shoals of siblings

Austin Kleon • KURT VONNEGUT ON THE NEED FOR BUILDING EXTENDED FAMILIES

Extended Family is important. Why not choose the extended family we bring in?

At large scales, average anything goes to zero.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Future • Trust Economies - The Future of Social Networks

Damn, that’s a big truth.

There is a whole lot of goodness out there when the right systems are in place.

By adopting a human-centric approach, a new structure or infrastructure – whether it’s a bridge, playground, park, or reservoir – isn’t simply a physical object consisting of raw materials and labour. Instead, it’s the manifestation of community aspirations. It’s a carefully considered design brought to life. It’s a way to solve underlying issues... See more

WSP New Zealand | WSP

Algorithms are simply subsystems of the companies that create them, so when we want to examine the systems we use and are a part of, it is an extremely helpful lens to use.

Introduction to Abundant Systems

Algorithms can be analyzed through the lens of systems

AI is aggregated human intelligence. So it’s better to call it collective intelligence than artificial intelligence.

Emphasizing the collectivity (something built on the commons) over the artificiality (a feat of technology) gives us an entire new way to see, perceive and relate to the technology.

-via Holly Herndon, in conversation with Ezra Klein

This is exactly what abundant systems try to do. It takes the individual efforts as part of the collective, not in isolation.

What is the value of work in a world on the cusp of automation, and how will humans redefine their relationship with it?

Our Centaur Future - A RADAR Report

Work isn’t valuable. People are. People can set a value on the work that is done, therefore, they are the most valuable piece of the equation. Work for the sake of work has no value.

Kindness has unlimited upside.”

James Clear • 3 Ideas, 2 Quotes, 1 Question (December 26, 2019) | James Clear

More proof of ideas