Hierarchy, Force Monopoly, and Geodesic Societies

[Major Variola (ret)]

At 01:56 PM 4/8/04 -0400, R. A. Hettinga wrote:

>[Nanotechology at least holds out the possibility of making Von
>Neumann machines, that is, switches which make copies of themselves,

You mean Johnny's *replicators*, a vN machine is just one with
a changable program store.  But you mentioned Jared Diamond
(and used the phrase "proto-cat") so you are forgiven.

When a bunch of
>these networks are hooked together, you get a ubiquitous geodesic
>internetwork, the internet,

Geodesic means shortest path, and you'll note if you play with
tracert that the shortest path (as seen on Earth's surface) is rarely
taken.
What you really mean is "highly & cheaply connected", although your
investment in the word "geodesic" is probably too far gone for you
to change.