A Bias Toward Community
How do balance the tension between moral principles, local autonomy, and large-scale collaboration
Bruce responds to last week's question by coming firmly down on the side of local communities as the primary unit of autonomy, with the proviso that individuals have the freedom to move among communities. Prabhakar concurred, and again suggested Neal Stephenson's The Diamond Age as a useful starting point for imaging a world of tight-knit tribes ("phyles") embedded in a Common Economic Protocol to coordinate coexistence.
This led to the question of what values Bruce would want to build his Phyle around. Bruce started with a commitment to avoid orphaning users. Ernie conceded that is a noble goal, and is similar to the idea of companies serving customers rather than exploiting them.
That said, the real challenge is actually building something that lives long enough to even have those concerns. Perhaps next week we will find out what that might be...
References
This led to the question of what values Bruce would want to build his Phyle around. Bruce started with a commitment to avoid orphaning users. Ernie conceded that is a noble goal, and is similar to the idea of companies serving customers rather than exploiting them.
That said, the real challenge is actually building something that lives long enough to even have those concerns. Perhaps next week we will find out what that might be...
References
- Automated Transcript
- Until the end of the Internet (Basecamp)
- Long-Term Stock Exchange: A Principle-Based Approach
- Public Benefit Corporation
- Benefit Corporation
- B Corporation (Certification)
- Thick versus Thin Moral Frameworks
- Thick versus Thin Descriptions